Judge, 1921-09-17 · page 8 of 36
Judge — September 17, 1921 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page Content **Main Story ("The Optimist"):** A satirical narrative mocking sentimental sentimentality and optimistic literature. A verbose boarder tells increasingly saccharine stories—about nature's beauty, a reconciliation between a wealthy widower and his neglected son—that so irritate a fellow lodger that he violently attacks him. A jury bizarrely rules the boarder responsible for his own death, finding his boring storytelling and platitudes constituted sufficient provocation. The satire targets twee, moralizing fiction popular in the era and the naïve optimism it represented. **"Sartor Redivivus" Poem:** A humorous piece about regaining youth through wearing loose collars instead of restrictive formal neckwear—poking fun at both fashion constraints and dubious health claims. **Bottom Cartoons:** Art Helfant's "But Watch Your Step" depicts the aphorism "A man may be down but he is never out," showing a figure knocked down but recovering—an encouragement about resilience, though the "watch your step" caption suggests ironic warning.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Drawn by W. 0. Witson-+A. ©. The Optimist—Bus' IN THE WINDOW THAN THE derstood the use of the container for the thing contained but the boarder said he never touched it. For some time we just smoked, looked at the star-sprinkled heavens and listened to the holy husy of midnight in the mountains. The boarder cut an ugly gash in the silence by voluntarily singing, in an Irish tenor voice, a glucose ballad about the love of the south wind and the violet. He cooed, “Isn't nature wonderful?” And then he asked if we didn’t think it was a compliment to have dogs and children fond of one. Next, he told us a very pretty story he had recently read. It was all about a_ hard-boiled, wealthy widower, his neglected son, “Toodles,” and a sweet wistful girl sh = | i THERE ARE THREE MORE PEOPLE LOOKING named Sara Louise Howells. The boy fell ill and was restored to health by the care and fairy stories of Sally Low. “Toodles” acted the réle of Cupid and after the wedding the trio spent the remainder of their blissful lives in a love-nest free from debt, alimony, landlords or the solicitations of bond salesmen, just being glad! When the garrulous raconteur had finished the tale, he courted death by ng, “How do these medern stories strike you?” The frenzied reader leaped up and bellowed, “These modern _ stories strike me just like I’m going to clout you!” And before I realized it, the bat- tered, strangled boarder lay in the dreamless sleep that knows no wak- ing. With the blood-lust in his eyes, the reader gloated: “Now! Whoopee! I've had a suppressed desire to kill a pollyanalyst for the last five years. This evening has had a happy ending for me!” The jury brought in a verdict of su le, on the ground that the re- fusal to take a drink, the song, the story, the bromide about the dogs and children, each constituted a challenge and a dare to kill! There- fore, the boarder was wholly respon- sible for his own death. Sartor Redivivus By LA ToUCHE HANCOCK (To obtain perpetual youth, or a new lease of life, one should wear ‘a loose col- lar—Medical’ Note.) REY my hair, and bowed my body, And my race was almost run, Then I took to looser collars, Now I’m taken for my son! Yes! with eighty years I tottered, Purblind, senile, half-insane, Brought home shoes two larger, And renewed my youth again! If you wish to live forever Conquer death, and time, and fate, Scorn the rigors of our climate— Go out in your natural state! Unnecessary Hotel Clerk--Would you like a room with a bath, sir? Ezra Dimbleby—No, thanks. ist a room. I took a good wash afore I left home last week. -— = | __———4 A MAN MAY BE DOWN BUT HE IS NEVER Drawn by ART HELFANT. Bur Waten Your Ster.