Judge, 1924-04-12 · page 12 of 36
Judge — April 12, 1924 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Maid of Mystery" - Analysis This page contains a humorous short story with two accompanying jokes. The main narrative satirizes the advertising industry and consumer culture of the early 20th century. **The Story**: A husband discovers his wife's "perfect" maid is literally cut out from a magazine advertisement. The joke escalates through absurd details—the maid uses a vacuum cleaner while serving dinner, presents soup in its original can, spaghetti in its package, and mustard in its bottle. The satire mocks both deceptive advertising (which promised impossible perfection) and wives who desperately pursue idealized domesticity through consumer products. **The Jokes Below**: 1. A debt-collection joke about resemblance 2. A comment on hazardous occupations, with a cynical jab at magazine editors The piece reflects period anxieties about advertising's manipulative power and the growing consumer culture's influence on domestic expectations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Tue Maip or Mystery Auta met me at the gate, and her were like twin stars. “I’ve got a maid!” she said, as she squeezed iny arm. I did the proper thing, and kissed her. real, old-fashioned kind of maid, too!” enthused Agatha. ‘Tall, and trim, and graceful; and immaculate—my dear!" my wife went on, floor in her black dress and white You don’t see her kind nowadays!” SS The maid was operating the vacuum cleaner all over the front hall as we en- tered the house; never a hair of her blond head was rumpled, nor was there a spot on her little Swiss apron and cap, nor a blemish on her exquisite silk stockings. “Too good to be true!” I whispered to Agatha. “Where did you get her? guilty-look came into Agatha’s eye; she put her finger to her lips, and shook her head. The maid wore the same bright smile and Swiss apron when she served dinner It was a formal affair, and I was a bit put out to see her produce a patent mop between each course, and remove the crumbs from the hardwood floor. The meal was a succession of surprises. The soup was served with a full can on the same trs ing the label promi- Fatleigh—I know a man who looks so much like you that nently displayed; the spaghetti was ac- one could hardly tell you apart. companied by the original package; the Thinleigh—You haven't paid him that ten dollars I lent you mustard was served in the original bottle three months ago, have you? Even the coffee cups were grouped around the original orange coffee tin. When I glanced at Agatha, she dropped her eyes in confusion. One by one the company wandered into the library. Agatha and I followed them, expecting the worst. We found it. There was an interested knot of guests grouped about the center maho- gany table. In their midst stood the pouring boiling water onto the e from a <ettle. I clutched the port for support “Where did you get her?’ I demanded hoarsely. Agatha broke down and sobbed. needed a maid, and I was despe she wept. “I—I cut her out of an adver- tisement!” Corey Forp. tae Crane—Are the country roads around y dusty? That depends on how fast a car you own. Fae Ex-stenographer—Does your husband give you an allowance, Window cleaners aren't the only cones dear, or do you use the touch system? whose occupation is hazardous. We read recently of a magazine editor who dropped eleven stories into a waste-basket. comicbooks.com