Judge, 1915-07-03 · page 12 of 32
Judge — July 3, 1915 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon illustrates a domestic infidelity accusation, presented as marital satire. Mr. Trujoy claims he spent the evening at his club conducting business with a man named Smith. His wife, suspicious of his late return, discovers a woman's garter in his coat pocket—"circumstantial" evidence of an affair. The humor trades on early-20th-century gender dynamics: Mrs. Trujoy's indignation at being called "dearie," her dramatic exit, and her willingness to search his pockets, contrasted with Mr. Trujoy's stammering denials. The cartoon satirizes both marital suspicion and masculine infidelity excuses typical of the era. The illustration shows the confrontation scene—she holds the damning garter while he recoils defensively. This type of domestic comedy was standard Judge magazine fare, reflecting anxieties about fidelity and changing gender relations in early-20th-century American middle-class life.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CIRCUMSTANTIAL WALDRON hy J. Aw TOKENS ——+ HE Trujoys at table had usually been a happy pair. It had never been necessary for them to keep in mind that modern admonition to assist digestion by the application of good humor. On this particular morning at breakfast, however, Mrs. Trujoy had something on her mind. Trujoy noted it, but made no verbal observation. What time did you get home this morning?'’ Mrs. Trujoy asked. “This morning! asleep when I came in. “Yes. Iknow. I slept from sheer exhaustion. o'clock when I went to bed."” “Oh, was it? Truly, my dear, I didn’t notice what time it You mean last night, my dear. You were It was one As late as that? Let's see. You went out, I believe, to meet Smith at the club on an important business matter."’ “So I did, dear, I mean I did meet Smith. And we had a lot of talk before we could come to a showdown. Smith's a very shrewd person. He tries to get the better of any deal he under- Did he get the better of you last night?"’ Not so you could notice it. I think I got the better of him."" “Tell me about it.’” ‘You don't understand business, and it would all be Greek to you. What's the matter with you, dearie?’’ “Dearie! I don’t want you to call me ‘dearie’ again, John Trujoy!"’ **You don’t mean that! Why, “T mean it. I don’t believe you were at the club last night. And I don’t believe you met Smith.'" Mrs. Trujoy rose from the table with eyes ablaze, leaving half of her coffee and all of the solids set before her. ‘‘Come upstairs, please, when you have sat- isfied your appetite. I should think your food would choke you, John Trujoy!'’ She looked at him all the way to the door—a graceful act of contortion any supple woman can perform when the spirit moves her. Trujoy did choke a bit on his kippered herring, and again as he hurriedly swallowed his coffee. And he went upstairs two steps atatime. Mrs. Trujoy was waiting for him with a purely ficti- tious smile—one of those facial expressions that precede hysteria. ‘‘Well, dear, what is it?’* asked Trujoy. “Well, dear,’’ said Mrs. Trujoy, mocking his tone, ‘‘what is it?’? She held out an unusually pretty garter. “That? Why, don’t you know what it is? ‘‘Isn’t it rather slender for me?"’ “I—I— Where did you get it?’’ “‘In a pocket of the dress coat you wore last night to meet Smith and discuss a business proposition. Explain—if you can! You brute!"" “Do you think it a nice thing to go through my pockets?” abella!"* One of yours?"" comichooks.colm