Judge, 1927-03-19 · page 10 of 36
Judge — March 19, 1927 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Judge Magazine Page Analysis This is a satirical story titled "The New Way" by Stanley Jones, mocking 1920s media sensationalism and the commodification of human drama. The narrator manipulates his elderly grandfather into marrying the "Widow Hogan" to solve financial problems, then exploits the May-December romance for profit. The story satirizes how the media and entertainment industry (represented by "movie men" and syndicates) sensationalize ordinary lives—80,000 cars, 309 reporters, 12,000 photos at a simple wedding. The large illustration shows a crowded urban street packed with automobiles and people at what appears to be this wedding event, emphasizing the chaos and excess of media coverage. The cartoons below humorously depict the physical sensations of modern life (the "emergency brake" metaphor). The satire targets Depression-era desperation, yellow journalism, and how individuals became commodities for entertainment profit—their family drama reduced to syndicated "life stories" and movie contracts.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE “No-o,”” but he avoided my eye guiltily. “I been all through this marriage business, son. It’s work, turrible work, and I’m nigh on to eighty. Don’t make——" With a brutal laugh I slammed the door and went into conference with the Widow Hogan. Within a week the bans were published. The newspapers screamed, “May and December! Shame!” “Weenie Weds White- haired Daddy!” “59 Years Dif- ference The country was in a turmoil. At the quiet country wedding 80,000 automobiles were parked, 309 reporters secured exclusive interviews, and 12,000 pictures were shot. The Widow Hogan and I exchanged furtive hand- shakes. As the couple emerged from the church, we rushed up and tore them apart. Weenie wept beauti- fully. Grandpa mouthed _ his threats and brandished his fists. | Sensation upon sensation! It was wonderful! Then we went home P.M. the Widow Hogan $100,000 contract from the ploids for Weenie’s he movie men were bashing in her front door. And I was simultaneously affixing Grandpa’s signature to a stagger- ing syndicate offer for his life history and lighting a Corona- “Oh, boy—I'm just beginning to realize how Robinson Crusoe Corona with the mortgage on the must have felt.” old home. story. —Sraniey Jones The New Way “Grandpa,” I reminded him severely, “Do you realize that the mortgage comes due t week? One of us has got to raise money —a lot of it.” “You don’t mean for me to go to work at my age?” His voice quavered fearfully as he peered at me. “One of us has got to,” I firmly. “And you know m “But I’m too old—I’m seventy- he faltered. vait,” said I. “I have an Doubtless the Widow Hogan, down the street, would welcome a tidy income, eh? And her daughter, Weenie, sixteen and comely, Grandpa, comely. Do you follow m The way it feels when the emergency brake is put on suddenly. comicbooks.com