Judge, 1915-05-15 · page 5 of 24
Judge — May 15, 1915 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents a short story titled "Aunt Tillie's First Experience at the Beach" by Terrell Love Holliday, satirizing marital dynamics and women's independence. The three illustrated panels at top show a woman's changing appearance and demeanor, captioned "As she felt she looked," "As she hoped she looked," and "As she really did look"—mocking the gap between self-perception and reality. The narrative centers on a husband's sarcastic resistance to his wife's vacation desires. He demands she remain in their apartment for manicuring and grooming, while he refuses to accompany her. The satire targets both his controlling behavior and her frustrated response—she ultimately threatens to leave alone if necessary, exposing the tension between marital obligation and personal autonomy during this era. The decorative wave border with fish suggests the beach setting.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
As she felt she looked As she hoped she looked As she really did look AUNT TILLIE’S FIRST EXPERIENCE AT THE BEACH ‘ HEN shall you take your vacation this year?’’ asked Mrs. Wopley. “Between seven p. m. and seven a. m.,"" glumly responded her husband. “Nonsense!'’ The speaker turned im- patiently from her dressing table. ‘‘I'm asking a serious question."* “My answer was no joke."* She resumed her hair brushing. ‘‘Does that mean that I cannot go anywhere either?" “I shouldn't think of being so cruel’’— his voice was cuttingly sarcastic—‘‘as to require you to remain here in the same old apartment, to be manicured, massaged and hair-dressed by the same old women, to trifle with the same silly embroidery, to H E G A Y ECEIVERS By TERREL. T D LOVE HOLLIDAY pet the same nasty poodle, to make the rounds of the same old cafes and theaters, just as you did all winter.’’ “Have I ever gone away without you?’’ Heatedly she whirled and faced him. “*Have 1?"" “It’s about time, though, that you were beginning to do as other women do,"’ he said, shrugging pajama-clad_ shoulders. **We've been married three years.’’ **Do you wish me to stay here with you, Perry?’ She wanted him to say yes, know- ing that she wouldn't enjoy a trip alone. Wopley shrugged again. “That is up to you.’’ He wanted her to stay without being asked. “Very well. If you want to get rid of me,"’ she flared, hot, cross and piqued by his indifference, ‘‘I will go alone!"’ “Put it that way if you like.’’ He also was hot and cross, and tired besides. “Don’t hurry home.’** She cried on her pillow, and he swore on his. That was the first night that they had omitted the good-night kiss. oe oe «6 . In her stuffy room at Breezybeach—oh, comicbooks.com