Judge, 1927-11-19 · page 19 of 36
Judge — November 19, 1927 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical dialogue mocks the notorious rudeness and obstructiveness of theater box-office workers, now applied to railroad ticket agents. The humor stems from the agent's transparently dishonest sales tactics: he claims the desired train is fully booked, offers inferior alternatives at inflated prices ($13.20), pretends to hold better seats "for a friend," and interrupts the transaction with a personal phone call—behavior familiar from theater box offices. The satire targets both customer service incompetence and the agent's obvious disregard for the buyer's actual needs. The punchline suggests that incompetent theater workers simply transferred their obstructionist practices to railroads, bringing their problematic attitudes unchanged. The accompanying "Myrtle's Sketch-Book" provides lighter domestic humor about a grandmother's old-fashioned knitting skills, offering thematic contrast to the sharp satire above it.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE The Ex-Theater Box Office Man Gets a Job With a Railroad The Agent — Well, wat’cha want? Innocent Buyer—I'd like to get a lower on the ten o'clock for Minneapolis. The Agent—When you figure you want it? Buyer—Why, I want to go to- night. Agent—Tonight — say, where you been—don'tcher know that’s the most popular train in town— wait a minute, I got a nice upper here about seventeen s back. Buyer—That’s pretty far back, isn’t it? Agent—Not so bad; you this is a small train. Buyer—Is that for tonigh Agent—No, didn’t I tell you there ain’t nothing for tonight, it’s for a week from tomorrow night and I was holding it for a friend, but you can have it for $13.20. Buyer—Yes, but I have to leave town tonight. You see I am not going to be in town a week from tomorrow night. Agent—How'd you like to go —— to St. Jose, Missouri, got a dandy here right in the center of the second car, and here’s an- other right on the aisle over to one side in car one going to fj tl v ke h Nashville, Tenn. What d’ you Leaves rom Myr es SKetc. -book say, huh? Buyer—Why, I—— Agent—Wait a minute till I answer that phone — Hello — No. 1 hello — what — talk louder—O, YRTLI hello, Nelly, how you feeling to- 4 day Huh—and was that a is for the bender—I'll_ tell. the cock-eyed and | knits world—you say a lower tonight for Minneapolis—sure I can fix fit you up—best berth on the train, Eee hire and. the first car, on the aisle, Number 13 oy ee —sure—Oh, don’t mention it— = when her partner leads and say, you know the old phone ‘ tas number when you blow in town sin — righto — see you in k'melted and her — important business in_town chureh, eh—so long. c rature is expressed in the she could have broken up th s Guide. ship between n “Do you mind if I bring a friend home for dinner?” | Agent—Now what's it you Ly papa would Tike her grand if h want? —James H. Crarke clative hile she is. vi i around We understand that Tunney’s next opponent will be Nurmi. comicbooks.com