Judge, 1923-09-15 · page 11 of 36
Judge — September 15, 1923 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Pug with the Swells" — Satire Explained This is a short story (not a political cartoon) satirizing wealthy Long Island society's pretensions and boredom. The "pug" (slang for boxer) refers to "Pug" Purdy, a professional fighter hired to entertain the elite Maplecrest Country Club. The satire targets the idle rich: they're so disconnected from real life that they must import crude entertainment (boxing) to escape ennui. The opening illustration shows the punchline—a child announces the baby will be "a prize fighter," mocking the social climbing and aspirational absurdity of wealthy families. The story involves class tensions: Harry Gates (middle-class naval officer) pursues Grace Gilling (wealthy heiress), while the club seeks novelty through professional pugilism—an activity considered morally questionable for "respectable" society, yet adopted for entertainment. The satire suggests wealth breeds disconnection, superficiality, and the ironic embrace of lowbrow culture as exotic amusement.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Hurrah, mother! Our future is provided for! Baby is going to be a prize fighter!” A “PUG” WITH THE SWELLS He Maplecrest Country Club was | the social glory of a proud colony on Long Island within an hour of New York by motor. The club was surrounded by es' nd none but the elect and their equally-exclusive visitors could enter its grounds or doors. It had a sweeping sea line guarded from intru- sion, wonderful golf links, a theater, and every other feature for enjoyment that snuity could devise. he club's membership might be deseribed as rich, richer and richest, the last distinction belonging to Jasper Gil- ling, whose broad estate and castle repre. sented but a hint of his wealth. Gilling was president of the club and entered into all its designs for entertainment, for he had nothing else to do. And his daughter, Gr: »w twenty, was the apple of his She had not been spoiled by a consciousness of great beauty hor by the air of sophistication which she breathed Harry Gates, aged: twenty-four, was by J. A. Waldron in love with Grace, and although he did not know it, she was in love with him, Harry's father was in the simply “rich” class. And the elder Gates was eccen- tric When Harry left college the elder insisted that he join the Navy for “further discipline.” Harry had three years of that, and came back after many cruises as clean as a whistle morally, fit as a fiddle physically, and with an expanded idea of the world, Gilling rather liked “Come out and fight!” the boy. and. suspected that he was playing for Grace, but on that subject seemed to think negatively The Maplecrest Club, wearied by its regular round of amusements, and no doubt. influenced by the popularity of pugilism, asked its house committee for something new and exciting. And thus was plinned a boxing bout by. profes- sionals in its roomy gymnasium. ug” Purdy, described) by — sport writers as a likely candidate for the light- weight championship and Benny Belmer, who also wanted the championship, w e 1 to give a ten-round exhibition. Of s pugilism has now become an industry governed by boards and. strict laws, such an exhibition could not be sanctioned by the authorities as a pro- fessional event. Use TT nour was scheduled for Members and the women were for the novelty. As ( evening, comicbooks.com