Judge, 1918-12-14 · page 5 of 32
Judge — December 14, 1918 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Blithesome Boob—III" This satirical story by Arthur C. Brooks (illustrated by Wilfred Jones) depicts a barber discovering his customer is a German soldier disguised as a civilian. The humor centers on the soldier's incompetence: he has a bald spot from a grenade wound hidden under his hat, and reveals his identity through poor German-accented English and suspicious behavior. The satire targets German soldiers as bumbling infiltrators during what appears to be World War I. The "Blithesome Boob" character—seemingly a recurring Judge figure—serves as the everyman narrator exposing enemy incompetence through an ordinary barber encounter. The joke relies on anti-German stereotyping and wartime suspicion of enemy agents, typical of American satirical magazine content during WWI.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Quire a Batp Spor You Have, Sir” The Blithesome Boob—III. He is discovered in the throes of his “profession” By Artuur C. Brooks Illustrated by Witrrev Jones HE Mas witn a Bato Spot la ea tate tered copy of the Barber's Itch and climbed majestically into the waiting chair. The Blithesome Boob, barber, hovered about him busily “Well,” said the Blithesome Boob at great to have the war over.” “Now, never mind about the war,” replied the Man with a Bald Spot, with rather unnecessary brusqueness Just give me a haircut and shave, and do it ex-com- munt ‘ . “Yes, sir; yes, sir,” said the Blithesome Boob. There was silence between them for as much as five minutes. he Blithesome Boob, his face purple with self-repression, could stand it no longer. He burst out, a bald spot you have, sir.” That isn’t a bald spot,” answered the Man with a Bald Spot. ‘That's a scalp-wound.” ““A scalp-wound’?” repeated the Blithesome Boob. “Who did it?” “A German Indiat Spot, unsmilingly. The Blithesome Boob clicked his scissors medi- tatively “T don’t suppose you'd be interested in it, though,” continued the Man with a Bald Spot, whimsically. “Oh, indeed I would!” assured the Blithesome Boob, bursting with curiosity “Well, it was this way,” commenced the Man with a Bald Spot. “One day at Wipers, I got separated from the rest of the bunch and found myself mixing it with an enormous Frit He looked as big as Jumbo the elephant. We used up all our ammunition and equip- ment, and eventually were going it with our bare fists, disguised as a last, ado. said the Man with a Bald pping like teufelhunds. ‘There was no sound aside from his grunts when I connected with him. “Well, that Heinie suddenly recollected a grenade he had hidden in his iron hat. He snatched his hat off and threw the bomb at my head. I ducked just in time, but°not before the grenade grazed my head as it exploded and blew off about a dollar's worth. When I got to my feet—say,” he broke off, “are you listening S said the Blithesome Boob. “Shampoo?” said the Man with a Bald Spot. . “There was that Jerry whirling a rifle like a club, preparing to knock my block off. Well, I ducked again, and the butt whooshed past and went around and hit that Fritz on the back of the head, and knocked him foolish. Want to hear the rest of it? By all means,” agreed the Blithesome Boob. “ Nice singe “No! Well, I drag had my wound dressed. “A little tonic, then?” desperately No!” yelled the Man with a Bald Spot. “Well, while it was healing they put me on sentry-go outside the prisoners’ pen. And what do you think that dirty Hun tried to do? “What?” asked the Blithesome Boob. “Tried to talk me to death. Used to stick his nose through the barbed-wire and talk German. He was a mean, contemptible cuss, and I hated him and all his kind.” “Did he say what he was in civil life?” asked the esome Boob. Yes,” answered the Man with a Bald Spot, “a barber.” And he grinned at his reflection in the mirror. d him back to our lines, and comicbooks.com