Judge, 1916-08-12 · page 10 of 28
Judge — August 12, 1916 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines a satirical cartoon with humorous dialogue featuring two Jewish characters—Henry and Markowitz—debating canoeing safety at a charity event rehearsal. **The Cartoon**: The top illustration shows a formal charity bazaar rehearsal where an instructor demonstrates "The Will-o'-the-Wisp," a dance number. The scene depicts upper-class attendees in an elegant ballroom. **The Satire**: The accompanying dialogue mocks working-class Jewish immigrants and their social aspirations. Henry and Markowitz argue about whether canoeing is dangerous—Henry insists he fell in the Gooseberry River, while Markowitz boasts he never could. Their Yiddish-inflected English ("gefahrlich," "shicker," "toin") and obsession with impressing wealthy families like the Goldmans reflects period stereotypes about Jewish social climbing and business-focused mentality. **The Humor**: The joke relies on ethnic caricature—depicting Jewish characters as socially awkward, risk-averse, yet status-conscious. The dialect humor and petty squabbling were typical of early 20th-century American satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
—— a AT THE CHARITY BAZAR REHEARSAL Instructor—The next number, ladies, is entitled “* The Will-o'-the-Wisp.” in't there never going to be a finish by you about busi- broke in Henry angrily. ‘Our office is closed; our bu: ; it is Saturday afternoon, going on Sunday. Here we're going for a little pleasure to see Minnie and the chil- dren, and you can’t knock out from your head accounts and skoits and buyers! Everybody by the Belmar Inn will laugh from you if you will carry the samples on your tongue into the dining-room. ‘There are some very nice people stopping there, like Goldman and Co.'s family, and how would it look if you will talk to the pretty Sadie Goldman, that went two years to high- school, about notting else but skoits and skoits and skoits!" “What then should I talk about, canoeing and life insur- maintained Markowitz, sarcastically. s a thousand times more high-class than cancellations troubles,” retorted Henry. ‘*The man what talks all and canoes and danger is a regular sport. “And I,” argued Markowitz emphatically, ‘would better talk from what I make a living than like you say yourself, from what you can get killed. But I really don’t think that them little ships are so gefahrlich like you say. I bet you I can go in one of them.” “All right,” said Henry, smiling. ‘‘ When we come to land, let's go to the Gooseberry River and you take a canoe and you try it just for fun. I like to see you sit so still like you was taking a picktche. Anyway you toin, Max, the canoe toins with you and it loves to roll over like a little dog in the sun. Believe me, Max, it is so easy fall from a canoe like for a shicker, coming out of ten saloons, from his feet. It is very dangerous.” “How do you know?” laughed Markowitz. ‘I bet you must have fallen into the water yourself. Tell the truth— ance?” and you must watch me closely, as it requires a great deal of grace and agility “Nu, what if I did?” asked Henry excitedly, “but Iam will ing to tell about it. But if you would have fallen in “Me? I could never fall in,” shouted Markowitz. such a fool as to go canoeing! “Tt is easy for you to talk when you are a married mana nd satisfied to be a back number,” observed Henry bitterly, ** But Tama young feller. How would it look if 1 couldn't canoe eve! on the ‘Gooseberry’ when all the young people, like Sadie Goldman, notting el: “Aha ghed Markowitz, wanted to practice on her account and fell in. Who pulled you out?” “That's none of your business,” replied Henry heatedly. “I can't see notting to laugh about, from your own brother-in-law! If the bottom of the Goose- berry River was not so near the top, I might be lying at the bottom yet. But no more canocing for me, Max!” “Yes, Henry,” said Markowitz in a sooth- Led ing tone of voice. “I 4. shat little boy? wouldn't go canoeing ‘poy Aw. I'm jes’ borrowi even it is such a nice bat from him. “Taint “now T understand. You ‘My goodness! what are you doing his baseball