Judge, 1918-08-17 · page 12 of 32
Judge — August 17, 1918 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Identifying Him" - A Comedy of Mistaken Identity This humorous story satirizes rural simplicity and parental inattention. A farmer cannot distinguish his own son "Runt" from a neighbor's child "Bearcat" who has been visiting. The boy has become so integrated into their household that the father fails to recognize him even when the child acts sickly. Only after washing the boy's face do they realize their error—a stranger has essentially moved in unnoticed. The joke targets the father's obliviousness and suggests how casually children could blend into rural communities. It reflects early 20th-century attitudes about country life as less organized or observant than urban society. The page also contains brief satirical notes about contemporary subjects: women learning military skills during wartime (suggesting anxiety about gender roles), and commentary on wealth and social pretense—typical of *Judge* magazine's social humor.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Draven by Cnantes H. Waicut Love Laucus at Supmarines Identifying Him “CXORTER queer thing happened at my house day,” related Mr. Ark. “Wife, she said that doctor going past the place in and take a look at our least feller had been kinder punying according to her story. I told her I hadn't noticed it, but Runt, our next boy, ‘peared to be sorter off his feed “*Looky at him now,’ says I, . feebly playing with the t thing he'd ut th dogs, like it was the las do on earth.’ “Why, that ain't Runt!’ says she. ‘It’s Bearcat “*Well, you ort to know, if anybody does,’ says I. ‘But, all the same, that’s Runt! They're about of a size, and——' “*Runt—nuth'n'!’ says she. ‘That's Bearcat!’ “*Bearcat—the deuce!’ says I *Call him and see.’ “Also, she done it, and the little cuss didn’t answer. Then I called him and he didn’t pa any attention to me, cither That struck us both as kinder quaint, and we went out and drug him around to the rain barrel, and washed his face. And I'll It was some devilish kid t we didn’t remember of ever hav- ing laid eyes on before. Instead of which, we found out later that he was a new-comer’s child that had mixed up with our kids a few days before and liked the place so well that he had stayed I reckon if he hadn't took to acting sickish and got his face washed he'd have been right there till plumb yet.” ap Johnson, of Rumpus Ridge, the next time boy, Bearcat. around for a few “ Rather! George tuther I seed the I'd better yell at him to come The little days, n by Joun Herp Are you interested in the military?” s teaching me the manual of arms.” Characteristic WHEN a woman has on a new dress that is specially be- coming, she isn’t content until the man she likes best and the woman she likes least, have seen her in it An Ominous Outlook “This yur war is terrible business,” grumbled Mr. Rip Wilson, of Red Eye, Arizona. “The women are learning so many things that it is only a question of time till they find out that they can whip the most of us mer Shop Talk! I hear Mrs. Godby is unde- cided whether to divorce her present husband or carry him over to another season! The Only Man The greatest man who ever lived: Bluebeard. The only man in history who found room in the closet for hanging anything. A Base Comment It wasn’t going to any well that broke the baseball pitcher. Over-Development “Don’t you think that fishing is good exercise?” “Yes—for the imagination.” The Difference The difference between labor and exercise is sixty dollars a year for dues. Overlooked Jack—We had pretty hard luck tonight coming to this party. Bill—How was that? Jack—We drove up in a taxi, and nobody saw us. comicbooks.com