Judge, 1925-11-21 · page 5 of 40
Judge — November 21, 1925 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Gloria Mundi - Analysis This page satirizes social climbing and celebrity worship among the wealthy. "The Innocent Bystander" observes a crowded hotel lobby where an unassuming gentleman is surrounded by admirers—generals, admirals, famous people—all eager to know him. The joke hinges on his complete lack of actual importance: he's merely hunting for his wife among the crowds. The lower cartoon, "The Baby Bob," depicts someone asking when a baby will arrive, playing on uncertainty about paternity or legitimacy. The satirical point: wealthy society people desperately seek proximity to anyone they *think* might be important, revealing their superficiality. The "innocent bystander" protagonist is innocent precisely because he possesses no genuine status—yet receives worship anyway, exposing the absurdity of status-consciousness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Gloria Mundi ug Innocent Bystander hesitated in his timid course through the football crowds and baggage that jammed the hotel lobby on the day of the big game. He knew that he was rubbing elbows with great financiers, with generals and ad- mirals, with famous men of letters, with people whose names he would recognize as representing the cream of the nation’s hall of fame. And the combination of his pride and a comparatively mediocre sta- tion in life brought the resolution to go about the personal business of hunting his wife in this seething méleé of wealth, fashion and fame and to betray no atom of interest in the celebrities about him. But the enormous and distin- guished throng which now blocked his way and clustered almost bois- terously about the modest and unassuming gentleman in heavy tweeds aroused his admiring curiosity to the breaking point and he stopped to listen. “Bully to see you again, Brookie— what good old times we used to have—” 4} \ Jack—I had an auful joke played on me yesierday. Mar—What was that? “I went to a tea-party yesterday afternoon, and they served tea!” “You and your wife must motor down to our place some week-end— we've wanted to ask you for a year but simply—” “By Jove, you’re looking just as young as ever, Brookie.” “Got some good stuff out here, Brookie, come out to the car and we'll—” “Brookie, my wife insists you come out and stay with us for a week-end at least. You simply can’t refuse us. gk ok tne nee veee)) agen These and countless other felici- tous respects from the growing throng of prosperous friends left no doubt as to the superlative rank of this modest personage. The Innocent Bystander could restrain his curiosity no longer. Casually he addressed one of the outer fringe of the eager group. “What is he—general, statesman, nobility or just a multi-millionaire?” “Who, Brookie?”’ laughed the man at his side. “Lord, no. He’s only a Lab Assistant in Chemistry but he’s got two tickets for the game THE BABY BOB and has to work this afternoon.” Will it soon come to this? . Richard S. Wallace