Judge, 1921-10-08 · page 9 of 36
Judge — October 8, 1921 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers **"You Don't Know Him"** satirizes marital infidelity disguised as respectability. Simpson repeatedly asks his unattractive wife's permission to entertain other women—a "buyer from the West," her sister, his stenographer—each time framing it as innocent and praising his wife's "common sense" to avoid jealousy. The joke is that Simpson systematically exploits his wife's trust to pursue affairs while maintaining plausible deniability. The final twist—that he genuinely loves only his wife despite these encounters—suggests either self-delusion or that his infidelities are purely recreational, not emotional betrayals. **"Reminiscent"** references Prohibition-era speakeasies ("roadhouse") and bootleggers. "Pussyfoot" likely alludes to anti-alcohol activists (the term was used for prohibitionists), making the joke ironic: a pussyfoot visits illegal liquor establishments and steals from bootleggers—mocking the hypocrisy of Prohibition's moral crusaders.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Drawn by W. O. Witson + A. C, Native—I don’t know any Mr. Stranger—I'm not surprised. You Don’t Know Him IMPSON married a wife, the most unattractive woman in forty- eight states. Simpson married her, he said, because he loved her. The first week he spent each eve- ning in her company. The second week he missed two evenings—busy at the office—awfully rushed lately. The third week he said, ‘“Maria,”— of course her name was Maria,—‘‘you know, dear, how much I admire your common sense. You aren’t jealous, like most women, so I can tell you the truth. There is a buyer in town whom the firm wants me to entertain to-morrow night, a young lady from the West. You won’t care, will you, dear?” “Of course not, Simpie,” said Mrs. Simpson. So he entertained the buyer—very nicely he entertained her. The following cay he said, “I don’t want you to get dull, dear. Why don’t you invite your sister to visit us?” Maria had a charming sister. So the sister came, and stayed quite Perkins in these parts. I guess you’re on the wrong road. When he ’phoned me the directions he said I couldn’t miss it if I tried. a while, and Simpson assured his wife that he loved her devotedly, and her only. The day the sister left Simpson said, “I’ve taken my stenographer to lunch several times lately ; she’s a nice little girl and she’s awfully lonesome her for my ma—I’ll bet she can spank! 9 in the city. here, Maria? like her.” So Mrs. Simpson had the stenog- rapher out a good deal, and once the stenographer made a mistake about her invitation, and came when Mrs. Simpson wasn’t in. And so it went. And still Simpson professed to love Mrs. Simpson, and swore that he never flirted with other women. Other women did not at- tract him. Mrs. Simpson believed that he told the truth. Now the unbelievable part of it is, he did! Suppose we have her out I believe you would Reminiscent By BATTELL LooMIs USSYFOOT, pussyfoot, have you been? I’ve been to a roadhouse to visit a queen. Pussyfoot, pussyfoot, what did you there? I frightened a bootlegger and lapped up my share. where comicbooks.com