Judge, 1918-07-20 · page 20 of 32
Judge — July 20, 1918 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from the satirical magazine **Judge** contains three sections of humor pieces reflecting early 20th-century American attitudes: **"A Rude Awakening"** (center cartoon): Shows a policeman confronting a child holding a politician. The joke mocks politicians as objects of ridicule or contempt—treating them as something a child might innocently display, implying they're beneath respect or worthy of public scorn. **Business/Law sections**: These are brief joke collections mocking salesmen's persistence, contractor debt, and lawyers' rhetorical tricks. The "His Religion" piece depicts "Uncle Rasmus," a racist caricature of a Black man, arrested for disturbing the peace; the judge dismisses his religious fervor as excessive. This reflects the era's casual racial stereotyping. **"Fool Stuff"**: Simple wordplay and everyday misunderstandings—a shopkeeper confusing oranges with apples, a woman mistaking a man's ear for a subway strap. Overall, this represents period humor that was mainstream but often contains now-offensive racial caricatures alongside relatively timeless observations about human behavior.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BUSINESS A Contractor—BSrewn—Is your son in business? Smith—He's a contractor. + Brown—What line Smith—Debts.—London Tit-Bits. They Didn't Know How—* The old master who painted that picture got no such price as you paid.” “Well,” replied Mr. Cumrox, “it just goes to show what first-class modern salesmanship means to any line of business." —Iash- ington Star. Could Supply His Wants—The salesman had been very persistent in ing to force his way into Brown's ice. The latter was very busy and short-tempered, and when at last, with a timid knock, the irrepressible one sidled through the door during an interval between two important interviews, it was the last straw. The salesman apologetically tendered his card. “Another book agent exclaimed Brown, testily. “Really I've no patience with you! Can’t you sce I'm up to my in work? Forcing your way in like this—really I can’t find words to express my feelings!” n that case, sir,” answered the sales- man, with a gentle smile, “I am the very man you want. Permit me to draw your attention to our new dictic London Opinion. A Rude Awakening What you got there, 7 Tommy—A blinkin’ politician! Jack—What 3 ny—Put 1 goin’ to do w m in ‘is proper f Time-Saving—A\ Paris shopkeeper wrote to one of his customers as follows “Tam able to offer you cloth like the enclosed sample at 9 francs the meter In case I do not hear from you I shall con- clude that you wish to pay only 8 francs. In order to lose no time, I accept the What He Got—“So you sent a dollar for that advertised appliance to keep your gas bills down. What did they send you?” “A paper weight."—Dallas News. For the “Duration” Y fe Soldier Boxer—(coming round after being knocked out)—Wot is it—" Revally”? The Second—No mate; it was“ ‘aps””.—Passing Show (London). LAW and LAWYERS eee Only an Amateur—Lewyer—" You ay the prisoner is an expert thief?” Witness—" Yes.” “Yet you admit that my client had not picked your pocket when you caught him?” “He was just about to “Ah!” said the lawyer, “then he is not an expert, for he was ‘just getting his hand in.’ "—London Tit-Bits. His Religion—The woolly headed Un. cle Rasmus was accused of disturbing the peace. Officer Mort Rudolph explained follows Your Honor, this man was running up and down the Mill River Road, wav- ing his arms and yelling at the top of his voice, and otherwise raising the mischief, at half-past one in the morning. The people of that district complained, and they had a perfect right to.” The judge frowned at Rasmus, who didn’t seem to be particularly worried. “What do you mean by such unbecom- ing conduct?” his Honor demanded. “Religion, Jedge,” was the response. “Religion! Are you a Holy Roller, or something like that? I have religion Rasmus, but I don’t get up at midnight and tell everybody about it.” “Dat's jes’ de diffunce, Jedge. I "t ershamed ob mine.”—Case and Comment. Pa Was a Lawyer—“Pop, what do they mean by twaddle?” “That refers to arguments advanced by the other side.”—Louisville Couricr- Journal. FOOL STUFF A Matter of Form — Customer — What have you in the shape of oranges? Storekeeper —N madam, we have apples!—London Tit-Bits. That young man seems to lack Often the Way you introduced to me opinions on most subject “I know, but he makes up for it in his opinion of himself.”—Boston Tran- script. On a Crowded Car—“Excuse me, madam, but here isa strap.” “T thought I had a strap.” “No, madam, you were hanging onto my ear.”’—Kansas City Journal. comicbooks.com