Judge, 1928-02-11 · page 4 of 36
Judge — February 11, 1928 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Cupid's Kibitzer" and Bridge Satire This Judge page satirizes bridge, the card game that was enormously popular among upper-class Americans in the early 20th century. **"Cupid's Kibitzer"** (the poem by Arthur L. Lippmann) jokes that while the addressee is witty and attractive, they're a terrible bridge player who doesn't understand basic bidding strategy. The satire suggests marriage to this person would mean enduring their incompetence at bridge—treating card-playing as a serious marital concern. The accompanying illustrations mock bridge culture: "A Star Play" features players discussing the game, while the lower cartoon shows men at a table, with the caption about a drummer stopping at a farmhouse, likely a setup for a joke about poker versus bridge. The overall message: bridge obsession among the wealthy had become culturally dominant enough to be satirized as life-defining.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE | Just a few of the bridge table ac A Star Play Alice—How do you like the Shakespeare Club? Virginia—Wonderful! Why, I made th grand slams at the last meeting! Modest Mary She has often been seen to look at her bridge hand, blush and murmur, “Oh. ar. I have a perfect—er—chest.” Learn from Experience Disgruntled Dummy—Partner, don’t you ever finesse? Partner—Not me. I tried that | once! Mrs. Washington Heights (to | new partner)—Now, remember, | if I bid “one without” it indicates a very weak no trump, but if I y “one no trump” that means I've got a really strong hand. sa Cupid’s Kibitzer Oh, fairest) of all maids, | I'll say that you're some kid, dear, But with that hand to say two spades! You don’t know how to bid, dear. Why, even I, at bridge a chump, The very worst of dubs, dear, beauteous Could see that you had three no | trump When Horace made two clubs, ] dear, | Though you possess the gift of wit And beauty rare to boot, dear, The art of bridge, you inust ad- , mit, Is far from your long suit, dear. So be ty partner, be my wife, I'm serious—no kidding— And let me, as we bridge through | life, At all times do your bidding. —Anrtuve DL. Lippaann ’ One of the hardest Brid) problems on the radio is to keep it tuned out. | | “Ever hear the one about the drummer that stopped at the farmhouse?” x ) pa L?< comicbooks.com