Judge, 1926-05-01 · page 11 of 36
Judge — May 1, 1926 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political/Social Context for Modern Readers This page contains three separate pieces of satire from *Judge* magazine: 1. **"A Dire Calamity"**: A mock-tragic story by Florence Vanard Crane satirizing social anxiety and etiquette obsession. A man despairs because he committed a minor breach of dining etiquette—using the wrong fork at dinner—treating it as an irredeemable social catastrophe. This mocks the rigid formality and class consciousness of early 20th-century society. 2. **"Some Gunning"** by Arthur Neale: A comedic crime story where two armed robbers unknowingly confront each other. The twist: the "robber" Brown shoots is actually a gun-shaped cigarette lighter, and the "holdup man" intended the same. The satire mocks hold-ups and glorifies petty theft dressed up as Robin Hood-style "justice to the poor." 3. **Girl Scout illustration**: Shows humor in the earnest wholesomeness of Girl Scout activities. The humor relies on exaggeration, situational irony, and contemporary concerns about social propriety and urban crime.
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Girl Scout doing daily act of lindness. A Dire Calamity TNALD went out into the night, despair in his heart, despair ker than the dense blackness of that gloomy, starless night. His humiliation knew no bounds. His senses were leaden, benumbed by that cruel blow that Fate had in- flicted upon his sensitive soul. Nowhere could he find respite from. that gnawing, consuming monster, Nowhere could he find peace for his burdened conscience. All through the long dreary night he walked the streets, brooding over that dreadful calamity that had with- out warning swept him into the maelstrom of abject misery. remorse. He could never more face the woman whose love had meant every- thing tohim. He must hide his head in shame, and put her out of his life forever. She had innocently, trustingly in- vited him to her home that night, all unsuspecting that he could be guilty of such a thing, and he had betrayed her confidence, he had forfeited the right to bask in the light of her love, or even her friendship, yes even her Forever must he be an outcast where once he w come guest. This, all this pitiless wretchedness he had brought upon himself be- cause, in eating his salad he had in- advertently used the wrong fork. Florence Vanard Crane acquaintance. a wel- Cigarette box and holder, for your Some Gunning = Brown heard the command— and found himself gazing into the barrel of a glittering revolver. “Hands up! Do you he Brown, however, heeded not. In- stead—from his right-hand coat pocket he produced a deadly-looking black automatic. He covered his coverer. “Throw that dollar paper weight down!” he cried. with your dough. hear me! “And come across Snappy! Do you Or Pll shoot you dead in your shoes!” Down clattered the dollar paper weight—for such indeed it was, and well Brown knew it. for he had one of his own at home. Without any argument the fellow passed over a wad of bills, his hands trembling violently. Brown pocketed the money. “All right,” he sa “Be on your way! And make it spee The would-be hold-up-man rapidly departed. “Well,” said Brown to himself, “a case of justifiable robbery if there ever was one! The Robin Hood idea uptodate. [rob the robber and give to the poor. [am the poor. Oh. well, now for a nice smoke.” And pulling the trigger of his deadly looking black automatic, he selected one of — the Egyptians exposed to view as the cork-tipped top of the gun jumped up. Arthur Neale comicbooks.com