Judge, 1923-09-22 · page 5 of 36
Judge — September 22, 1923 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains a humorous short story about two men negotiating over property and fishing rights. The narrative involves "old Foster" owning a valuable fifty-thousand-dollar estate with a brook, and John attempting to purchase fishing rights to it. The main joke centers on a misunderstanding: John believes he's found an untouched "letter stream" (likely a pun on "better stream"), unaware that Foster has already fished it extensively. The satire mocks both parties—Foster's greed in overvaluing his property and John's naïveté in believing he's discovered something genuinely valuable. The accompanying illustrations by Gilbert Wilkinson show two figures by a brook, depicting the comedic negotiation. This represents typical Judge magazine fare: gentle social satire about business dealings and rural life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Shackleton estate, his thousand ollar proposition. “Might as well get Costs enough. ‘Th est on my money. house. Bedrooms and bathrooms over the plac \ trout stream. Fit Wall Street prince. Fifty thousand Asking price seventy-five. + sixty-seven, five—all tied up and me taking a vacation. ['m a fool!” He would have turned back but Mary’ fifty mething out of thousand. in- Thirty acres. A woked a fly on the end of his line «way Shlipsky showed him and threw t out over the brook. For half an hour he fished but. took thing. Then he rose and drew in his Well, I've seen that through and Tm finished with it. knew it. Fish ain't) ca ght. Fishing and va n who have plenty of money who think they have it. Me, ent. Well, Tecan still catch the cleven-fifteen and get half a day in at the office.” He disjointed his rod and was about to depart when he was hailed by a j : eery man in khaki who carried la string of fish. Get anything he I've But I called enthusi- asked John. you didn’t Fish, you mea You don’t mean to. say He—I don't wonderful as the sea. Howe Older Brother—Aw, gee whiz, kid! Cantcha’ look on th’ bright side of anything? get any? a I ne fished a better The brook’s em. nd he held up twelve or thirteen glistening fish. “Oh, it’s a good little brook,” said John, nbering his fifty thousand. ood? Why Vd give a million for ou woul “Well, pretty nearly. You see when man loves fishing and he finds a r stream—well, T see you wouldn't under- stand.” “How much would you give for it?” asked John. Why [ve been all over the grounds and through the dl fished. the stream and it suits me fine. I under house think there’s anything so She (reprovingly)—That’s no way to talk on our honeymoon, anyway! stand old Foster wants seventy-five aid John, the man, “The brook alone’s worth it to a man like i said think T could said John. read and try. Be my with the old fool. And Tl split) the five thousand with you as a bonus.” “Can you afford it?” asked John. “Tguess so. I'm William A. Thatcher Standard Oil. Gue ou've heard my name. What's yours “Mine's John Foste owns this place.” get it for vou for agent » the old fool that An hour later, with a check to bind the deal, John arrived hom “Did you catch any fish?” asked Mary. “And did you like your vacation?” “I'm going to take a coupla months,” said John. Rated Ruhr! Tt sounds like a growl, doesn’t it comicbooks.com