Judge, 1918-06-22 · page 7 of 36
Judge — June 22, 1918 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon illustrates "Stuck On His Job," a humorous story about theatrical absurdity. A stage manager hires an extra to play an American Eagle by covering his body with glue and attaching feathers—a grueling three-hour process for five dollars and five minutes of stage time. When finished, the manager postpones the show and dismisses the actor, suggesting he remain glued to his costume in the building (lacking bathroom facilities) until needed later. The joke satirizes exploitative theater practices and the desperation of struggling performers accepting ridiculous conditions. The illustration captures the actor mid-ordeal, awkwardly rigid with feathers, illustrating his literal commitment to an absurd job. The page includes two brief comic anecdotes: one about an underwater bet, another about a hospital superintendent's unpopularity despite public fascination with him. These filler jokes were typical magazine content of this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ae Drawn by P. D. Jouxsox “Hey Girls! “T need a large man To represent the American Eagle In the last act of my new Revue, He must cover his body with glue, And stick feathers all over it; But he will get five dollars nightly For being on the stage five minutes.” “T will take it,” said the applicant. So the next night He went to the theatre early, And got himself ready for the part. If, after you have prepared for such a process, No matter how careful your preparation may have been, You try to stick feathers on your body with glue, eae | “ ES,” said the stage manager To the applicant for a part, Which opens tomorrow night. An Under Water Engagement “Smith bet me that he could stay under water ten minutes and he won.” “What are you crowing about then?” “He hasn’t collected the bet yet.” You'd better finish your talk somewhere else than behind this mule! He's no pacifist!” Stuck On His Job By Harvey Peake It is extremely difficult, as you will admit, To make a thorough job of it, simulative of an eagle, And keep the glue and the feathers and the fingers Coordinately effective for the task. It took him three hours. At the end of that time The manager came in and said: “We sha’n’t need you tonight, For the opening has been Postponed until next week. And as there is no Bathroom in the building, I would suggest That you stick around here As you are Until that time. Good night!” Not Popularity e that man? Everybody’s crazy about him.” “So popular, eh?” “No—not especially. He’s a superintendent of a state hos- pital for the insane.”