Judge, 1924-01-05 · page 5 of 36
Judge — January 5, 1924 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "Bedtime Stories for Grown-ups" This is a satirical story about a wealthy young man with a fancy gas-powered vehicle who attempts to impress a woman ("Simple Susan") with displays of urban sophistication and reckless driving. The humor operates on several levels: **The satire:** The gilded youth fails to impress despite his wealth and the "wonders of the East." His new automobile—a status symbol of modern technology—becomes the vehicle for his comeuppance when he drives recklessly through suburbs. **The moral:** The story's conclusion suggests that flashy materialism and speed don't guarantee success; restraint and modesty are preferable. The caption "East is fast and West isn't so slow" implies criticism of both excessive haste and pretentious urban values. The illustrations mock early automobile culture and the foolishness of young wealthy men.
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Bedtime Stories for Grown-ups The Tale of the Gilded Youth Who Didn’t Shine-so OE pen a time—not so long ago, either, for it was a latest. model—there was a_ gilded youth who owned a fine big gas- wagon. It was considerable chariot and when he stepped on it, which was: often, it pushed the road under it full many leagues an hour. ww it came to pass that to the big city ona visit to the family of the gilded youth, came a “Simple Susan” from the great open spaces. She was not hard on the eyes but to the casual examination of the youth she seemed to be a bit on the slow side: not much pick up. Maybeso, she wasn’t so very impressed with him. He stepped out with her expecting azzle her with the wild night life of the wicked city, but she seemed to be able to stagger along without PPh Pawo I “What tha—!” eid iA “Oh, he just blew up his balloon tires too hard!” DANGEROUS CURVES ON NEXT Pace! The man who couldn’t make up his mind. any smoked glasses. In fact, she seemed to be vastly bored with most of it. She wondered why the folks worked so hard for their fun and suggested that what the city needed was a good live country club. But the city youth despaired not of impressing her with the wonders of the East, and of himself. Just wait until he got her out in the country in his new kiddo-kart, he would 1 her sit up and notice—he guessed. Of course, she had ridden in it, but in the city where the traffic and the police rather cramped his style. So it befell that one day they headed out. Through the suburbs they sped, no startling speed but not tly crawling. With a quick glance for any lurking pop-pop cop. he began to hit it up—no reaction. She might have been in a roc chair. In f he stifled a yawn and got out her yarn and started to knit. Now fully aroused the youth gave it all she had. The car fairly leaped and tore down the straight stretch of road like a streak of gray light. At last that maddening calm of hers seemed to be ruffled. It became so breezy that she had to put her knit- i ay and try modestly to con- r lack of pettibockers. He grinned. He'd) make her notice things. She started to speak. He leaned closer to catch the words. ‘Triumph was to be his. She was going to ask him to slow down, “Say, kid,” she said, “why don't you step on it. There's no cop around,” Moral: Fast is fast and West isn’t so slow. HL. Moffet. comicbooks.com