Judge, 1921-12-31 · page 8 of 37
Judge — December 31, 1921 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page satirizes **early 1920s domestic life**, depicting the modern home as a "service station" where Mother is the perpetual attendant. **Main Article ("To Be Found Everywhere"):** Homer Croy critiques how family members treat home as a refueling stop—children and husbands extract services (meals, repairs, laundry) from Mother without gratitude, then leave. The metaphor compares Mother to a garage mechanic who must always be available, never demanding payment like a real business manager would. **The Humor Section** contains unrelated brief jokes: - A child's innocent question about "driving" - A burglar's warning about evidence - Observations on blind love and fate - A doctor joke about Prohibition-era prescription limits **Social Context:** This reflects post-WWI anxiety about changing family dynamics and women's unpaid domestic labor. The satire gently criticizes both family members' ingratitude and the expectation that Mother accept this role without complaint—a modernist critique of traditional gender roles disguised as light humor.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
To Be Found Everywhere By Homer Croy HOME in these days of rush and hurry is getting to be just a sort of service station. About the only time members of the family come to it is when they want something— all except Mother; she runs the place, and so has to be there all the time. The difference between Mother and a good live manager is that the latter demands cash. About all that members of the family use home for is re-filling. When their tank is getting empty they drive in and expect Mother to get out the nozzle and begin cranking. They stretch their legs a bit and then, as she is finishing, come over and shake the last drop out of the hose; then climb in again. “Honk-honk,” goes their horn, and the only idea they have on their minds is the next traffic cop... mean- while Mother stands in the door watching them disappearing gaily down the line. Later, one by one, they come wheez- ing back for replenishing. Pa comes dashing in to have his carbon cleaned, Sister has broken down and has to be towed in for financial repairs, and Brother comes tooting in to have his bral:ebands tightened by a free meal. Mother oils them up with a dinner, Tommy—Why do you call that “driv- ing,” Pa? ea5- Officer (to burglar)—Now, remember wot ye say will be used as evidence against ye? > off they go.. - while she sits about i} getting things ready for any emergency i HN ‘ so Ut ayy The chronic borrower and the con- firmed tightwad have just been introduced. and they dash away to a movie. The charge she marks down in her Little Book cf Deferred Hope, and as the years go by she silently marks it off. After a time they come in, one by one, to park for the night. The next morning she fills them up again and calls. They will come; some one is sure, some place along the line, to come to grief. Then Mother sends out the wagon. When they are towed in she sets about getting them put back into shape as quickly as possible. They must not be disappointed. She must be a good garage. BLIND LOVE A woman was being warned about scene, and later she was shown regis- tering indifference. “That woman seems to be blind to the faults of her husband,” remarked a girl to her escort. “Yes,” was the reply, “and just as deaf to the warnings of her friends.” KISMET PLUS— “Father, what is fate?” “It’s crossing Times Square three times a day for three years and then being run over by an ash wagon in White Plains.” A WISE INVESTMENT 1s your doctor only allowed a cer- tain number of prescriptions under the new dry rules?” “Yes. But I hold an option on them all.” —=FULLER HUMOR—————= « & “Aw, Pa, won't ye take me to the movies?” “No — not to-night. I’ve got indigestion.” “Can’t ye take it Waa The Manufacturer—What a fine ad that would make for my new water-faucet! 6 comicbooks.com