Judge, 1917-12-15 · page 8 of 28
Judge — December 15, 1917 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three separate stories satirizing Christmas generosity and domestic life around the 1920s. **"What's the matter with Santa Claus?"** depicts a boss discovering his employee Fowler is going blind and his wife has become shabby. In a dream sequence, the boss decides to rehire her and pay for his medical care. He awakes to find his secretary's wife has given him a $5 bill from "Mr. Harding" (likely President Warren G. Harding) to gift the Fowlers—satirizing how even wealthy employers expect government or luck, rather than their own charity, to solve workers' hardships. **"Desperation"** shows a young woman unsuccessfully attempting to attract a man's romantic attention through domestic skills and strategically positioning herself under mistletoe—mocking women's limited courtship strategies. **"Tough Luck"** humorously depicts a boy's disappointment when Christmas relatives don't arrive, leaving him stuck eating turkey and pie—ironic "suffering" that critiques entitled attitudes toward abundance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
\ “What's the matter with Santa Claus?” “Well, this is Christmas time—the time when every one of us ought to be doing something, or trying to do something. to make other people happy. I thought I saw Fowler’s wife in the office yesterday.” “Yes, she was here.” “T wasn’t sure about her. She was such a beautiful girl when she worked here—and I noticed that she was rather shabby. Fowler hasn’t got to drinking, has he?” “No, poor chap, he’s had a lot of trouble with his eyes. He's had to be treated by a specialist for nearly His wife was here yesterday to tell us that he will have to give up his work for at least two months. The doctor says that’s the only way, it he is to be saved from going blind. She wants te come back in the office. We really need another stenographer.” “Take her back, by all means, whether we need her nor not, and tell Fowler to go to the best eye specialist he can find. He needn't worry about the bill. We'll take care of that. What else can I do to make this a happy Christmas for all our people? Tell me the whole truth about conditions here. I’m a mighty busy man, you know, and can’t keep track of these things myself.” “Well, sir, if you— “James! James!” said the secretary’s wife. giving him an- other shake, “wake up. Don’t you know it’s Christmas?” ch?" James replied, sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes. And look!” his wife exclaimed, showing him a new $5-bill “He's—all right 1” “Mr. Harding sent this by specigl delivery. Let’s make the Fowlers a Christmas present of it.” They need it so much more than we do.” DESPERATION HE beautiful girl chatted earnestly about how happy some couples seemed to be in just a small apartment. The young man was only mildly interested. She told him of her successful course in domestic science as well as in home dressmaking. To this he returned merely the complirent of conversational commonplaces. As he was departing she accidentally stood under a very large bunch of mistletoe. Apparently he was blind. for he murmured his adieu and departed As the door closed her lips met in a straight line, her brows. were corrugated, her eyes flashed and she ker!” TOUGH LUCK RAL relatives were expected at Willie's house to spend Christmas Day. and, of course, partake of dinner which was to include turkey. pudding, mince and pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, candy, cake and so forth The day came, all right; but the guests failed to show up. And Willie became very angry and pouted as soon as he learned, that his ma, pa, and himself would have to live on turkey, pudding. mince and pumpkin pie, cranber cake and so forth, for the next three or four da —Leslie Van Exery. comicbooks.com