Judge, 1916-02-19 · page 6 of 28
Judge — February 19, 1916 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on early automobile culture and courtship customs in the early 1900s. **Main cartoon**: "The Butterfly Upon the Road Preaches Contentment to the Toad" depicts the tension between old and new transportation—a horse-drawn cart versus modern motorcars. The imagery suggests nostalgia for simpler times versus enthusiasm for new technology. **Story narrative**: The plot involves young Dickie Cranston receiving a pony cart from Mr. Lockwood as payment for writing a love letter. The humor plays on themes of youthful mischief, bribery through gifts, and the earnest (misspelled) threatening letter Dickie wrote to protect his sister's honor. The satire mocks Victorian propriety and parental concern about courtship. **Bottom panel ("One Wise Guy")**: A brief joke about aspirational materialism—a man would trade a presidential salary for a luxury automobile ("Humper-Bumper car"), reflecting society's obsession with status symbols and new consumer goods during the automobile boom. The overall tone satirizes early-20th-century social anxieties about changing courtship, technology, and class aspirations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“THE BUTTERFLY UPON THE ROAD PREACHES CONTENTMENT TO THE TOAD“ “Wedlock, matrimony, marricd—man and few days later. Dickie, who was driving a “IUs a sceret. Cross your heart you'll wife, you and I. We—aw drive that pony cart, grandly invited Reggie for a — never tell or I'll lick you, and you know 1 ed kid brother of yours away.” can, too.” Stella did so. “Gee, where'd you get it?” gasped Reggie crossed his heart Then Archie drew i “She give it to me to pay for writin’ a a crumpled letter “Mister Lockwood give it to me.” letter just as she had writ it out first, and from his pocket “What for?” puttin’ it in Mister Lockwood's cigarette “If you will s know. Just because, I guess. case promise never to Dickie pulled a shining air rifle Foresight tell Dickie, never from under the seat. Reggie's eye glistened. Clarice—Jack has the loveliest itinerary to let him know S in’t he great! Wisht T knew for our motor honeymoon. We'll reach I showed this to i J a good hotel every night. you, I'll let you “Awr, he didn’t give me that, Stella give Felice—How do you know? read this.” it to me.” Clarice—Oh, we're never to be more than Dickie was the “What for?” a mile from a railway kid brother that moment driven from their Eden. “If it is anything he needs a whipping for yf “He needs and shall get a pony and cart. Promise, or never sce it.” “You are unfair, you know woman's curiosity “Dick slipped it into my cigarette case on the veranda this morning. I saw him,” and Archie handed her the crumpled note which she smoothed out and read: “misTur locK Wood when i get a i am goin to puntch you for ma cry so mutch she crise evvery nite in frunt of your piTchur and kisses it two you stop makin Her cry or youll get licked in a yere or too by diCk CraNSton.”” “Oh, Vl just about kill him!” gasped Stella, her face burning red. “You'll keep your promise and say noth- ing,” said Archie and they fell to discussing wedding days and such trifles after the man- ner of a man and a maid. ONE WISE GUY ie : i : . Larry—I'd like to be President for just one month! — Hannak—And what would you do? = Larry—I'd Reggie Martin met Dickie Cranston a swap my salary check for a Humper-Bumper car, and resign. comicbooks.com