Judge, 1924-06-07 · page 5 of 37
Judge — June 7, 1924 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "The Tragical Tale of Anastasia Kennedy" This page satirizes a wealthy socialite named Anastasia Kennedy through both poem and cartoon. The verse describes a privileged woman with inherited wealth who lived luxuriously—French gowns, opera boxes, bank accounts—but whose "wild oats sown must germinate." After ten years of pleasure, her fortunes reversed: she died "unblessed before pedestrians could fetch a priest." The accompanying cartoon shows a reckless driver in an expensive automobile hitting a pedestrian, captioned "What's the matter with that dog? He sees a pedestrian." The satire mocks both the carelessness of wealthy drivers and the moral comeuppance theme—suggesting that hedonistic excess and dangerous indifference to others' lives invite tragedy. The cartoon's dark humor emphasizes the pedestrian's helplessness before automotive peril.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SING As fair iy A maiden kind and beautiful, both generous and dutiful, All noble thought her teachers taught within her bosom slemn threnody of Anastasia Kennedy, and neat and wondrous sweet a lass there never secthed. Of ch: ter immaculate, she never would ejaculate An ty word, nor was she heard to ridicule o tease. She'd never dance Apache. Oh, she thought that old Boce: Was some nutritious meat-ball dish Ttalians ate with cheese! She worked for a New York concern, an old-established pork concern, And thumped the keys with magie ease and skill from year to year, Her weekly honorarium she sent a sanitarium For both her ma and her papa—ngw wasn’t she the dear? Mas!—likewise, alackaday! There came to Ann as black a day As ever struck with cursed luck King Louis’ handsome head. This child—this soul of innocence, just scarcely learning t’know sense, Eloped one day, and on the way was subsequently wed! Right here I know the wome What's wrong with tha wedding was a shame ‘Hask me, “Is marriage criminal? Now, hold your hat! This Her spouse was bald and eighty-two, dyspeptic, cranky, weighty, too; ‘The geezer had (oh, it’s too bad!) ten millions to his name! THE TRAGICAL TALE OF ANASTASIA KENNEDY Now some might speak to this effect: ‘Well, millions do not bliss affect. Tkinda think that pile of chink a tidy bunch of kale To start off domestici rital felicity!” Ah, yes, that’s true for quite a few. But let me tell my tale! This steno, once penurious, now lived a life lusurious French g rocks. owns were hers, kolinsky furs, and gems as big as With shares in Chile Copper—uh—why, she could see the opera With all the belles and social swells that filled the horseshoe box! She had a private bank account and never failed to yank a count Or belted carl to do the whirl of teas and matinées, The fashionable rendezy Which means in short, the supper clubs (attendez-vous? ou with me, sport?”) and high-class cabarets. But wild oats sown must germinate and all good times must terminate, So when at last ten years had passed, Ann's earthly pleasures From Fate no human ean appeal... . She slipped on a banana peel And died unblessed before pedestrians could fetch a priest! Monat You see now the futility and utter imbecility Of flighty dames whose only aim’s to wed for sordid pelf. If you would have beatitude and fill your life with gratitude, ‘And not be stung—grab some one young. . . . Pm not so bad myself! Max Lire “What's the matter with that dog?” “He sees a pedestrian.” comicbooks.com