Judge, 1920-09-25 · page 11 of 34
Judge — September 25, 1920 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Partners: Luck and Cupid" Analysis This is a short story (not a political cartoon) illustrating a common early-20th-century social conflict: a father's pragmatic view of marriage versus his daughter's romantic ideals. **The Setup:** Mr. Moulton, a wealthy businessman, wants his daughter Muriel to marry Arthur Delrymple, a junior partner in his company—a financially sensible match. Muriel refuses, preferring Billy, a bank clerk and son of a deceased scientist, whom she finds imaginative and kind-hearted. **The Satire's Point:** The story mocks the tension between two worldviews: the father's mercenary approach (marriage as "business partnership") and the daughter's romantic values (imagination, character, love). The title "Luck and Cupid" suggests fate and emotion will ultimately prevail over paternal financial logic. **Social Context:** This reflects Progressive-era anxieties about women's increasing independence in mate selection and the clash between old patriarchal control and emerging romantic autonomy for young women. The illustration shows the tense domestic scene where these arguments occur.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
— er low/ “| CONGRATULATE YOU, YOUNG MAN, WiLL YoU COME WITH ME A MOMENT Partners: Luck and Cupid By J. \. Watprox Ulustration by Lawrence Fevtows sod O you think a fatkcr should have nothing to say?” “His eyes! What crotchets women have—young we “A father’s approval is desirable, papa. But a “And he hasn’t an idea that I can discover outside of the ‘big business’ man like you is apt to stress mere — market reports.” money. or the capacity to make it. Matrimony is ust the thing that makes a young man desirable.” what you might call a ‘close corporation,’ and the “Fora business partnership, perhaps. But I have imagina- chief stockhelders of a close corporation usually have their — tion, and I want just a little of that in the man I shall marry say, A girl should be permitted to decide as to whom she shall has imagination.” marry.” Billy! A mere boy! You are not thinking ser Moulton, although in a serious mood, smiled at his him, T hope!” asly of daughter's simile. He had asked her to accept the addresses “He’s older than I am, and I’m just coming of age \rthur Delrymple, who was about to become a junior partner remember.’” in one of Moulton’s many enterprises. And all at once he had “IT know you're coming of age. But Billy has no financial conceived the idea that he would like the young man as a aptitude that I can see. He is merely a bank clerk. I've son-in-law. liked the boy because his father and I were close friends long “As [I've told you, Muriel, I've watched Arthur closely— ago. But his father died comparatively poor, for he was a studied him from ma gles—and he suits me down to the — dreamer, as Billy seems to be.” ground. He is clean-lived, good-looking, and will go far. 1 “Billy’s father was a great scientist, and such men leave don’t see why he shouldn’t suit you.” to the world things better than money “He is too arrogant—too imperative—and I don’t like the “But suppose, Muriel, I should refuse to give my consent to your marrying this boy?” expression of his eyes.” any