Judge, 1928-03-31 · page 13 of 36
Judge — March 31, 1928 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers This 1912 Judge magazine story satirizes Canadian geography and pride. Two aviators get lost in a cloud over Canada on March 31 and crash-land in what they assume is wilderness. They consume champagne to stay warm, then spot a lake and land on a city street. Two distinguished gentlemen greet them—identified as Mayor McBride and Premier [Pearson, likely]. The joke centers on the aviators' shock: they've landed in Toronto, a major Canadian city they apparently didn't recognize or expect to find. The satire mocks either Canadian obscurity on the world stage, or perhaps the aviators' ignorance of North American geography. The cartoon below depicts their chaotic landing among clouds, with the aircraft labeled "forced" and figures scattered about. The humor derives from the contrast between expecting remote wilderness and finding urban civilization, combined with the characters' delayed recognition of their location.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE —s LA SPIRIT OF POL ROGER 4 ; . Then t Jenn d at Aee and soit WAL quietly. “There's only one thing STUCK IN CLOUD ( a Pa to do, Old Man! Our fuel is all BANK! gone—we'll have to start in’ on the gin!” * ! cried Mae, Lands at Toronto! : jumping up. There must be an other way!” He whipped out his Somewhere above binoculars and leaning over the (Dry) Mareh 31, (Spec tlegram to Judge), At d morning we encountered cock-eyed pit) started examining the terrain below frantically, i‘ then suddenly he eried, “Land! severe storm and, you well might — bottles, so it) was necessary to Land, below Zooming down say, were sore beset. In tryi drink the ¢ nts but the scheme we could see a large like, and on to avoid) the storm area we — worked wonderfully and we finally the of it what appeared to plunged head first. into. a very — opened a hole large enough to x ¥ of some size. As we got thick cloud and got wedged ri out. We were just) congratu- nearer we saw a very wide street in the middle of it! We had read lating ourselves on our lucky and swooping down landed in the somewhere, probably the Satur pe when Mac cried hoarsely, middle of it. As we taxied to a day Evening Post, that clouds “Ye Gods, Junior! Our fuel is top, two very distinguished look- could be broken up with gunshot, nearly gone!” “What! 1 ing gentlemen came down the but having no firearms of any sort hoarsed back. “Gone! “Y-ves, street on kiddie cars and greeted we were, as [said before, sore gone!” “We've only two bottles uy cordially, “How do you do, beset no end. Then S got a of champagne left!" “Nol 1 brilliant idea. Running down — cried. Not that! Not that!" into the boozelage he came up He held the two precious bet with an armful of champagne bot tes up toe view and— the lines Kind Sirs! [ said, courtseying. “Could vou tell us what city this is?° The tall vtleman smiled genially and said, “Young man, this is ‘Toronto, Canada! Tam Mayor MeBride and this gentle tles and started oting the in his young face grew deeper. corks inte the cloud! After | In- that) one moment his hair the cork out, we couldn't turned ay! With blanched man with well throw away the full faces we finished the two bottles, me is) Premier | Per- (Continued on page ae SAE INNA Ce comicbooks.com