Judge, 1914-12-19 · page 3 of 24
Judge — December 19, 1914 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a sketch by Carl von Duskirk depicting a woman on a telephone, accompanied by dialogue about a social engagement. The conversation reveals a domestic comedy: a man (apparently named Reggie) claims he's going to Philadelphia with someone named Muriel but is actually spending the evening with Muriel elsewhere. When confronted about telling his companion "Grace" of his plans, he admits to a deception—asking a friend to "hold the wire" (stay on the phone) while he fabricates his alibi. The humor targets early 20th-century courtship deceptions and the new technology of telephones enabling such schemes. It satirizes both male duplicity in romantic situations and the awkwardness created by this modern communication device, which makes lies harder to maintain convincingly.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
DID ES, this is seven-eight-two-nine. Ye: Didn't you? Well, I’m using my ri Reggie. Am I? Oh, I don’t know; I've missed lots of guesses. Hardly that; it would take a really clever person to guess your number, No; I have too high an opinion of your intelligence to try to flatter you. You know I mean that. Let me think—no—I believe not. Why? Winter Garden? I—I thought Grace told me you were going to take her to the Knickerbocker Saturday night? How? She was here to-day and told me. ‘olumbus. It is. ular Thursday voice, HE HOLD THE WIRE? Fix it?) How? Oh, I see. Yes. Oh, yes, to Philadelphia. u haven't. lunderstand—you wanted to be sure that I would go with you. It’s an awfully shabby trick to play on Grace. Never know it? But she does know it! You've been talk- ing to Grace, Reg; Yes, Columbus, seven-eight-two-nine. Kidding you? Not at all. I’m spending the night with Muriel, and she asked me to answer the ‘phone, that’s all, Reggie. Hold the wire. I'll call her. You were going where? When did you tell her? —Maurice Switzer. comicbooks.com