Judge, 1920-02-14 · page 10 of 44
Judge — February 14, 1920 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Taking Care of Mabel" – Judge Magazine Satire This story satirizes wealthy American families' obsessive efforts to groom daughters for European "society." The narrative mocks the absurd expense and pretension: Mabel receives two live-in nurses, dancing teachers, and governesses to perfect her French and German pronunciation. Her parents then book an entire London townhouse and Scottish shooting lodge merely to secure her a title through a European season—the traditional (and expensive) upper-class debutante ritual. The satire's punchline: all this investment collapses when Mabel elopes with the chauffeur, suggesting such elaborate social climbing is both futile and ridiculous. The accompanying joke about Mrs. Clarence serving coal-delivery workers tea in the dining room reinforces the theme: genuine human decency matters more than pretentious social performance.
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firemem borwrny Drwen by Nowsas Astuosy Fe mseisie® to Surr Texant Taking Care of Mabel By WLW. Wurretock URING Mabel’s infancy two train attendance, night and day, to s ing malign or untoward happet when she had passed the stage of c« b and dermidchen were er Mabel might acquire a perfect pr d German. Incidentally, the entire domestic »m the butler down to the seco: hambermaid expected to give heed that she nunciation in F ed nothing i way of material comfort and n Ww re ned ungratified With the ri va versee Mabel’s educ ors” ¢ were in d at she g in the line of scientific and literary equ ent, and whatever remn taneity re ned y » they successfully y aden he tute and with th Eure iterven all th It was decided that a second trip to Europe was necessary to provide her witha title; and accordingly passage for herself and suite was engaged, a house in Berkeley Square secured for the summer months and a “box” in Scotland for the shooting season. An ad- vance agent was sent ahead to make sure that all was in readiness for Mabel’s rece, tion, and his report bei favorable, the party pre- pared to set sail. Unfortunately, this was the moment chosen by Mabel to clope with the chauffeur. Society Item, Winter of Our Present Discontent Yesterday afternoon, at her 7 Chillside Road, Mrs Henry S. Clarence gave a tea in honor of the two men who brought her a ton of furnace coal. The coal having been dumped in the cellar, the driver and his helper were escorted to the dining-room where, after using finger bowls, they partook of a dainty collation. Mrs. Clarence, personally poured; and she was assisted in receiving by her daughter Miss Edythe Clarence and her niece, Miss Gwendolyn Shivery \fter tea, Mrs. Clarence and her guests descended to the cellar to look at the coal; the driver takin wn the hostess, and his helper, Miss Clarence