Judge, 1921-03-19 · page 35 of 36
Judge — March 19, 1921 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes early 20th-century anxiety about social propriety through interconnected stories about a bride whose wedding is marred by etiquette blunders. The bride describes meticulous wedding planning, only to realize—mid-ceremony—that she violated some rule of decorum, causing her distress. The satire targets several things: the *obsessive* concern with proper behavior in polite society, the proliferation of etiquette guides as commercial products, and the paralyzing fear that minor mistakes could ruin important social occasions. The accompanying advertisement (bottom half) for Nelson Doubleday's "Encyclopedia of Etiquette" is itself part of the joke—the editorial content essentially advertises the very book that might have "prevented" the bride's anxiety, playing on readers' insecurities about social missteps. This reflects genuine 1920s-era preoccupation with etiquette manuals as status markers and anxiety management tools for a changing, increasingly mobile society.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
IDGI After t Two whole need an honeymoon trip plan I determined It was f r blunders in etiquette, and so 1 sent fan Ly lopedia of Etiquette rches WT hodal ided ourselve Bob I bred. We had always believed lon urch wedding. re aly married once, you 4 | 1 And Oh I whis; it will be the happiest day of my life Gaily [Lo planned for that happy day and iss vrouilly I fondled the shimmering folds of my fet Welding gown, ‘There were towers to be vhile ered. music to be selected and cards to be pe | it. Each moment was crowded with an | ions. Oh. if Lcould haveoaly known then \ : the new that L would remember it forever wh Blunders i in Etiquette A Day I Will Remember at the Dance ated Bob slanced over the chapter called Eti- Forever quette at the Dance Why, dear, " laimed, * ti boa mpl on ont i L i i We found out ar ment after the ate tleman must keave h roll ‘4 $ rer : ‘ * I One Little Mistake and My Joy is Ended kext, T noticad that the cl ised t blunder! My Advice to Young Men and Women The wtld is a harsh jud » be admitted to tiquette ar y that eve and, in ing better net and the correct thi heart w H it that you may moached myself for { Buy a Book of Etiquette there were cards of thanks and “at The wedding bre t had to be After che wedding me” cards to be sent Why 7 Cried Ceremony “Before I had started the we ding march with an awful blunder in Etiquette.” Encyclopedia of Etiquette In Two Comprehensive Volumes Sent FREE fOr Five Days ders, te uu the ly the complete two-volume set of the ia of Etique offered at t Nel son Doubleday, Inc., Dept 633 Oyster Bay, New Vor promo omomo oss sommes: NELSON DOUBLEDAY, INC. Dept. 633 Oyster Bay, New York Gentlemen, nay send me the c 1 i} '. J Eneselopedia of Etiquette ! ' . lete two-volume set of the After 5 days I will either in full paymer return the books of send you sme under no ob This place Name ¥e Addre