Judge, 1916-02-26 · page 3 of 28
Judge — February 26, 1916 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical illustration depicts a chaotic, crowded scene at what appears to be a disreputable establishment or gathering. The poem's five sections mock various characters and situations, including references to "Mephistopheles," a "Pirate," and transformations occurring "in the aftermath." The satire seems to target urban nightlife and low establishments, with characters including what the text identifies as "Madam," "Captain Kidd," and references to "hobos" becoming "clerks." The repeated refrain "Make the sky ring!" suggests drunken revelry. Without additional historical context, the specific political or social targets remain unclear, though the imagery suggests Judge magazine's typical mockery of urban vice, criminality, and moral decay in late 19th/early 20th-century America.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE BALL OF 1 Ho! for the nights, with their laughter and singing ! Hey ! for the roistering. light-spattered days ! Mardi Gras Season is speedily winging— Let us be merry while merriment stays! Shout then, and sing, Make the sky ring! Doing it just tor the fun of the thing! © THE By Fo GREGORY WARTSWICK I. Yonder pale cleric looks anxious—with reason ! There's Mephistopheles. plotting deceit ! — Padre 's the gayest young beau of the season— Satan has lodgings in Piety Street ! ML. See! there's a Pirate, with “bones” for his bludgeon ! (Madam does well to repel him, say I!) What is he after, that black-jawed curmudgeon, Slipping behind them to spring on the sly ? Iv. Lo! in the aftermath, what transformation ! Madam sells shirtwaists, the hobo 's a clerk, Captain Kidd, see—calling trains at the station, Armed with a card-punch instead of a dirk ! MYSTIC CREW V. So goes the festival, mumming and masking. ‘evel and riot commingling the while; Play, then, while kisses are had for the asking— Blind crabbed Care in the gleam of a smile! Shout then, and sing. Make the sky ring! ; Doing it just for the fun of the thing! comicbooks.com