Judge, 1927-03-19 · page 12 of 36
Judge — March 19, 1927 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis **Top Section ("The Cigarette Lighter"):** A series of 16 numbered illustrations showing a man in a cap demonstrating how to use a cigarette lighter. Each panel depicts progressive hand motions and positions. This appears to be instructional humor—either mocking the complexity of operating the device or satirizing overly-detailed instructional diagrams popular in the era. **Bottom Story ("A Fairy Tale for Archaeologists"):** A comic fantasy tale mocking archaeologists' romantic notions about the past. Sir Ernest Digger discovers ancient mummies and wishes they could speak. A dwarf magician grants this wish using a magic wand that conveniently translates their speech into "modern United States"—the joke being that these ancient Egyptian women, once revived, immediately complain about hangovers and mixed drinks in contemporary slang. The satire ridicules both archaeologists' fantasies about discovering profound historical secrets and the anachronistic absurdity of ancient people speaking modern vernacular. The side illustration shows a separate, unrelated domestic comedy about a woman reducing her weight.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE The Cigarette Lighter. A Fairy Tale for Archaeologists O nce there was a famous scien- tist named Sir Ernest Dig- ger. One day, while he was put- tering around in a far country, ex- cavating ruins and things, he came upon a large iron ring stick- ing out of the sand. So he gave a yank on the ring, and, sure enough, it opened the door to a secret stairway, and down the stairs went Sir Ernest, to find himself in a room that was thou- sands and thousands of years old. There were two mummies i room—lady mummies, dre: robes of the finest silk, with orna ments of gold and precious stones and seated on a golden divan. They looked for all the world as if they had just been having a social chat. But, of course, they had been dead for centuries and centuries and centuries. r Ernest was in an archacolo- s heaven. Ah,” he mused, “if these mum- mies could only come to life and renew that chat, what secrets they might tell me! In an hour I would gain more actual knowledge of the past than I could amass in a life- time of research.” Hardly were the words out of his mouth when a dwarf with a long, gray beard appeared. “T suppose you are a magician,” said Sir Ernest. fool ought to know that,” ed the dwarf. “Here is the wand, and be careful you don’t break it, because it’s the last one I got. It’s an exceptionally good wand, too, with all the latest improvements. It will not only bring the mummies to life, but will translate their speech into modern United States, which makes it a lot easier for you.” ir Ernest took the little glass rod. No sooner had it touched his fingers than the two mummies turned into beautiful ladies and began to speak First Mum y—How’s the head, st Mummy—You went too y on them mixed drinks. cond Mummy—I'll say I did. at old geezer from ch was (Continued on page 31) The young lady who reduced too much, leaves the room when her fiancé enters. 10 comicbooks.com