Judge, 1916-01-29 · page 16 of 28
Judge — January 29, 1916 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a society comedy about marriage prospects among the upper classes. Two women—Patience Crystal and Beatrice Denham—discuss Beatrice's various suitors: Denby Darrall (a broker mixing business with sentiment), Rev. Clarence Chubbe (a clergyman with limited views), Ballard Baldwyn (a charming but superficial man-about-town), and the Hon. Percival Ponsonby-Bagge (a wealthy gentleman guest). The satire targets Victorian/Edwardian marriage conventions and women's limited options. Beatrice dismisses each suitor for revealing character flaws—sentimentality, narrow-mindedness, superficiality, or pretension. Her interest in the Hon. Percival stems from mere curiosity about whether he removes his monocle, mocking the triviality of upper-class romance. The illustration shows an automobile arriving, suggesting modernity challenging traditional courtship. The story suggests women follow romantic "impulse" rather than rational judgment when choosing husbands.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
FOLLOWING IMPULSE By J. A. WALDRON [ttiowse WONDER, dearest, if you will ever marry any of your “ I suitors! “T wonder!” The query was Patience Crystal's. Denham’s. “You don’t seem to like Denby Darrall.” “No. Brokers are queer—too sophisticated. Denby mixes business with sentiment, and his sentiment has the odor of the cabaret.” “Well, what is the matter with the Rev. Clarence Chubbe? A handsome man, with a fine charge, popular, and all that.” “But with a very limited viewpoint. And do you think you could tell from the grounds in a teacup the fortune of an ‘outsider’ who might marry into the church? Every blessed single woman in his congregation has marked him for her own, with the prejudice of every mother to the same end. Besides, the Rev. Clarence has already hinted as to the great work he could do—with money.” “You surely like Ballard Baldwyn. I’ve seen that, dearest.” “Who couldn’t like a man about town? I mean as an occasional diversion. Ballard is like a cocktail, stimulating for the moment. And he tells such amusing stories. And he has all the graces that gild attention. But he is like some professional actors. The echo was Beatrice He overplays his role. As a steady thing I am afraid he would be an affliction, dear. “Are you really uninterested in any one? You have so many! How about the Hon. Pe | Ponsonby-Bagge? What a great social opportunity he offers! And how eagerly many women would grasp it! Come, dearest, confide in me. Has he been at all sentimental “Quite. But I’ve parried. “Then you have a tendency . . . “He amuses me. If I should marry him it would be out of sheer curiosity, “A feminine failing; but matrimony soon satisfies i Beatnce laughed. ‘But mine is non-essential. It’s only a curiosity to discover whether the Hon. Percival Ponsonby-Bagge ever discards his monocle.”” “What a trifler you are! I don’t believe it. You'll marry him An auto horn sounded. “Here he is now!” And Patience, a glance to the roadway, went toward the hall, while Beatrice for a moment sought a mirror. The Hon. Percival was a week-end guest. to Glory Grange, though he had been a caller at Beatri house. He came in looking a bit upset as Beatrice met him. I want to sce a little more of him.” Tt was his first visit town comicbooks.com