Judge, 1915-10-16 · page 12 of 28
Judge — October 16, 1915 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Judge page satirizes rural American small-town life through fictional "local news" from a backwater community. The six cartoon panels at top (titled "This is My Busy Day") depict a woman's chaotic housekeeping, showing her surrounded by clutter and disorder—contrasting her frenetic activity with the column's ironic title. The text column by George Bingham presents absurdist humor about Lazytown's incompetent postmaster, who uses a loose floorboard as an alarm system and plays card games while neglecting his duties. Other items mock rural peculiarities: a storekeeper celebrating a hog stuck in a fence for the advertising crowds it draws; townsfolk concerned about a man's muscular display on Sunday; and trivial local events treated with mock-seriousness. The satire targets rural inefficiency, indolence, and the gap between official duty and actual practice—the postmaster's casual neglect of federal responsibility being the central joke. It's genteel mockery of American backwoods life for urban magazine readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LAZYTO WN HE government does not seem to like it because the Postmaster does not keep his office in better shape, by sweeping out now and then. But the Postmaster says that when a man has been on a joba long time he does not have to pay attention to every little thing these higherup de- mand. Besides, our office has probably what no other office in the country has, in the way of an alarm, which registers the approach of every prospective cus- tomer. The system is very simple, consist- ing of nothing but a loose plank in the floor of the front porch. The only disadvantage about it is that now and then a dog trots across it, and causes the Postmaster to look around when he is engaged in playing seven-up. 2 A deaf man spent Saturday in this vicinity. Several hard things were said about him out loud. By GEORGE BINGHAM A hog got hung in a fence crack at the Rye Straw store Thursday, and alarmed the neighborhood. A good-sized crowd gath- ered, and the storekeeper enjoyed a nice trade. He thinks any kind of advertising is good that will get the people to come to your store. ¢ Dock Hocks has been reproved for wearing his sleeves rolled up on Sunday. It is said that he does it to show his big muscle. When asked about it the other day he con- tended that he has as much right to do that as the girls have to wear short skirts for the same purpose. s The Tin Peddler’s blind horse ran into the Mail Carrier's buggy in front of the post- office Wednesday. Considerable damage was done. The Mail Carrier, being a part of the government, has informed headquar- ters of the incident, and asked that the Tin Peddler be held to a strict accountability for his act. & Fletcher Henstep has installed a corn- sheller in his home to furnish noise while his children are at school. LOC A L N E WS Washington Hocks, who in his younger days held his shoulders up and kept his hair combed, is now getting quite old. He does not care for style like he used to and has let his mule’s mane and tail grow out. ¢ A man who sells books on subscription was through here this week. Nobody bought any, as we don’t need them so long as we have the Wild Onion School Teacher with us. 2 The Excelsior Fiddling Band played in front of the postoffice yesterday and drowned out an argument going on between Poke Eazley and Jefferson Potlocks. @ The Hog Ford preacher will preach at Hog Ford next Sunday. A big crowd will likely be present, and those desiring back seats should go early. 2 Tobe Moscley’s wandering gourd vine is making rapid progress and it is now believed that it can reach Musket Ridge before frost falls. Cricket Hicks has been engaged to follow it.