Judge, 1918-06-15 · page 29 of 36
Judge — June 15, 1918 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This story satirizes the deflation of upper-class pride through financial embarrassment. A wealthy, haughty woman—accustomed to charge accounts and dividend income—visits her bank after a check marked "No funds" is returned. She expects the bank clerk to apologize for the error; instead, he reveals she has only fifty *cents* remaining in her account, not the substantial balance she assumed. The satire targets her obliviousness about her own finances and her class-based expectation that service workers should manage her affairs. Her pride crumbles when confronted with reality: despite her wealth elsewhere, this particular account is depleted. She leaves "meekly," her haughtiness shattered by a simple bank clerk's matter-of-fact delivery of bad news. The humor relies on class inversion—a woman accustomed to "freezing" others with disdain is humbled by an ordinary working man. Published June 1918, it reflects wartime anxieties about economic uncertainty affecting even the wealthy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
IDGE uman ion is ly as hely- com- with inets Oses, ently the ving, -fin- man nds, un- lish- th. June 15, 1918 Fifty... ? By Many Granam Bonner HE was very proud and haughty. She froze anyone with a glance if she so wished. Her voice and her remarks could make one feel like sinking into the earth as the proverbial saying goés— provided—which also the proverbial say- ing allows for, I believe—one could per- form such a feat. Everywhere she had charge accounts. Always she paid by checks. Now and again she cut off a few coupons to add to her bank balance but it was so huge from her regular dividends credited to it that it never caused her much worry. She never knew what she had in her check account but she always knew there was money there. But one sad day a check was returned to her with the ominous words, “No funds.” Of course she had plenty of money elsewhere to draw from, but how extremely careless of the bank not to tell her that the account was running low, and besides she wouldn’t have been surprised if the bank had made a mistake. She had heard so often of banks which did— in a vague and round-about fashion. She ordered her motor and went to the bank. Haughtily and proudly she stood before a window behind which stood a simple, unaffected, regular business man. “What does it mean—no funds on this check?” she asked. “It’s but a pittance —a small check I made out for ten doi- lars to pay for some odds and ends which came up from a little novelty shop where I’ve never bothered to have an account.” She was so proud she wished to explain why she hadn’t an account everywhere! “T will see what the trouble is, id the bank clerk. He came back after a second. “Pardon us, Madame,” he said. “There are funds— i k shouldn’t be marked, ‘No Il have to keep my account in a bank which knows something,” she said. “Yes, you are right,” the man replied, “we find you have here fifty = She interrupted, furiously angry. “And when I have fifty dollars in this bank I can’t get a check cashed for ten!” “You didn’t permit me to finish, Madame,” said the bank clerk. “I beg your pardon. I was about to say that you had fifty cents.” And the proud and haughty woman turned without a word and went meekly out of the bank. An Amateur M.D. “Let me kiss those tears away,” he begged, tenderly. She fell in his arms, and he was busy for the next few minutes. And yet the tears flowed on. “Can nothing stop them?” he asked, breath- s ad. she murmured; “‘it’s hay fever, you But go on with the treatment.” know. DEITIE Rople of culture and finement invaria PREFER. Deities to any other cigarette, Vi TIN HOTEL SEVILLE Fifth Ave. and 29th St., Convenient to all best shops. Ideal for out-of-town visitors. Single Rooms with Detached Bath, $2.00 per di Single Rooms with Priva $2.50 per day upward. Rooms, with Bath, for Two, $3 to $5 per day. Parlor, Bedroom and Bath, $5 to $10 per day. Send for diagram showing fixed rooms prices JOHN F. GARRETY, Mgr. Bath, New York City | Another JUDGE Hit Scored with the Brush 'HIS clever picture, which appeared on a recent cover of JUDGE, has been reproduced in full colors and | mounted on a heavy mat, 11 x 14, ready for the frame. It will be sent postpaid for twenty-five cents cash or stamps. hed we PETTICOATS and PANTS: JUDGE ART PRINT DEPARTMENT 225 Fifth Avenue 2 New York City 1,000 ISLAND HOUSE Alexandria Bay, Jefferson County, New York In the Heart of the Thousand Islands In the most enchanting spot in all America, where nature’s charms t, all the delights of modern civilization are added in the 1,000 Island House. _No hotel of the Metropolis provides greater living facilities or such luxurious comfort—real HOME comfort —as docs this palatial Summer retreat. An amusement for every hour, of quiet, complete rest, is the choice of every guest. All Drinking Water Used in the House is Filtered. Send two 2-cent stamps for Illustrated Booklet. O. G. STAPLES, Prop. JAMES RUNCIMAN, Mgr. J. L. BOWLES, Asst. Mgr. “A TRENCH SPADE” LEAD! Trump It with a Quarter and Take It Send twenty-five cents, cash or stamps, and we will mail to you, postage paid, a copy of this clever and timely picture. Just another one of Norman Rockwell’s popular JUDGE covers reproduced in full colors and mounted on a heavy mat, 11x 14, all ready for the frame. for the camp, den An attractive decoration or home. . JUDGE ART PRINT DEPARTMENT ‘A TRENCH SPADE 225 FIFTH AVENUE 3 NEW YORK CITY