Judge, 1921-08-20 · page 13 of 36
Judge — August 20, 1921 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers **"Their Silver Weddings"** contrasts two twenty-fifth wedding anniversaries through ironic juxtaposition. John Grant is a billionaire corporate president whose marriage is hollow—his wife lives separately in California, his son frequents clubs and gets into scrapes, his daughter married a foreigner. He buys companionship on Broadway. Yet he notices his anniversary only because his secretary remembered. William MacBeth, by contrast, is working-class with a modest home, Liberty Bonds, and a steady job. His large family—wife, multiple children—are present and genuinely bonded. He eagerly anticipates their golden anniversary. The satire critiques wealthy isolation and moral emptiness versus working-class authenticity and family love. The illustration's "back view" visual pun emphasizes how these men are defined by what's behind them (family legacy, life choices) rather than their faces. The cartoon below mocks railroad scheduling chaos—a separate satirical jab at modern transportation incompetence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
oe THE Human, or BACK VIEW AND REAR ELEVATION. Their Silver Weddings By KATHERINE NEGLEY OHN GRANT noticed in the paper vit was his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. He would never have thought of it otherwise. He supposed his secretary, who interviewed reporters for him, had remembered. Twenty-five years ago he had mar- ried Emily. She was in California now for the winter. He could not re- member whether it was Los Angeles or San Francisco. He knew she pre- ferred the climate of one of them. Her social secretary kept his secre- tary notified as to her whereabouts so as to receive the checks when she wanted money. His son was generally at the Club. He never saw him except when he got into a scrape—which was often. His daughter was married to a titled foreigner. He believed it was an Englishman. He was worth several billion dol- lars. His house in New York cost a million and his art collection cost about as much. He was President of the Corpora- tion now and Director in many big enterprises. The game was losing its zest some- what, however. The beauties on Broadway were his only recreation—but he had to buy them at a high price, checks, dinners, yachts and limousines. It was also William MacBeth’s twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. He sent the picture of his family to the newspapers. His son William and wife to his right, and William Third on his knee; his daughter Mary and her husband on Mother's left with Mary Third on Mother's knee. Back of them stood John, in college and James in High School; and sitting in front was Cathleen the S 4 SunOS | | NOT on AM ¢ \\ | Hours, rs Drawn by W. G. Farr. THE CREATOR OF THE MODERN RAILROAD TIME-TABLE TRIES TO FIND HIS TRAIN TWO MINUTES BEFORE LEAVING. 13, baby, aged ten, for their old age. They owned their little home, they had a few Liberty Bonds and a small bank account. Father had a job that made their expenses and a little over. Mother kept house and never went anywhere unless Father could go too. Father said he felt just as young as a boy and hoped he and Mother would see their golden wedding an- niversary. They were a human, healthy, happy family. I Can’t Canter Cantabile! By JAMES RUTHERFORD SCOTT JrRoM the Zenith to the Nadir Trots my Muse without Per- suader, Heedless of the tiresome canter, Always manages to perk. So, we started Scenic Wonder, Full of thrilling Blood and Thunder, Lipping-full of dash and banter, But we reined up with a jerk— In the Fog slipped in Bog, Where our Climax seemed to lurk Till it smote us with: “Get up And go to work!” Fed Up “Ts it hot enough for you?” “Go chase yourself. I’m not an- swering any questionnaires.” s| comicbooks.com