Judge, 1916-02-12 · page 14 of 28
Judge — February 12, 1916 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century Judge magazine: **Main Story ("The Homestretch Handicap"):** A married couple, feeling their marriage has grown dull, proposes a trial separation—he to California, she to Florida—hoping absence and distance will rekindle their romance. The satire mocks the era's relationship advice and the couple's naive belief that geographical separation might restore passion. The title suggests their marriage is in its final stretch, worn out like a horse at the end of a race. **Supporting Jokes:** Brief vignettes satirize common social situations: a wife unaware her husband stays out late; a man who made his fortune from humble beginnings; and a woman at a bank unwilling to provide identification, frustrated by bureaucratic requirements. The cartoons use simple line drawings typical of Judge's style. The overall tone satirizes middle-class American marriage and social conventions of the era, suggesting marital dissatisfaction was commonplace and remedies often ineffective or absurd.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“But how can it be helped? It’s lucky, Jack, that we've come to an understanding. . . .” “And that neither of us is in despair because . . .' “ Because we both feel the same way.” “Exactly. Yet—this is merely theoretical—wouldn’t you like it if we both were as we used to be?” She hesitated a moment. “Possibly. I'm not sure. Are you? We can’t shut our eyes. And most married persons come to the senses, I suppose. And it’s quite plain that honeymoons are quite like other moons--I mean like the aspects of the real moon— changeable and transient.” “Yet I’ve heard—or at least I've read—of persons who loved each other desperately—indefinitely. “But have you ever known such persons?” “Can't say that I can recall any couple so happy.” “Or so afflicted. I know you mean that!” “All that is out of fashion.” “Agreed. But is there any remedy in our case—any experiment we might try? If we should separate . “Oh, not that! Not just y way. Think of the publicity!” “You don’t just get me. I didn’t mean a legal step. Suppose we should separate for say a month, or two months, and by and by write each other tentatively to see if there might be some recurrence of the honeymoon spirit?” “Miracles sometimes happen. I like your idea. To be candid, I had thought of that myself. Where should we go— separately, of course?” She thought for a moment. “I’ve never been to Florida.” “Fine! The trip and sojourn would do you good in any event. Let it be Florida for you.” “And of course you ought to go away off in another direction. It takes distance as well as time to work miracles in such a case.” “Yes. Say California for me.” “Splendid!” And she kissed him perfunctorily in her enthusiasm. The dullness of life is often dis: » any- Coareed wacrnad oe nta Barbara he was effusively greeted by Mrs. Creston, and allison encountered Billy Gay immediately on her arrival rmond Beach. The Homestretch Handicap Oldfoge—Doesn't Swiftpace’s wife object to his staying out till two or three every night? Newfangle—She would if she knew it. managed to get home first. So fas he has always Evidence of Genius : with a shoestring and now he has a mil- lion dollar incredible, ch?” ‘ot at all. I should consider that a man who could get anybody to buy one shoestring was inevitably bound to. suc- ceed. aS pated by happy coincidence. When Bank cllr—That check i ll sight: but ou will have to be identified. Bring in someone to into Mallison alighted from a train at duce you. Woman—I will not! + If you are going to be so fussy I don’t care to meet you! comicbooks.com