Judge, 1928-06-30 · page 7 of 37
Judge — June 30, 1928 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Page This page contains two cartoons satirizing British life. The upper cartoon, titled "Famous Wisecracks," depicts a humorous exchange about ice delivery—likely mocking British understatement and class pretensions around practical matters. The lower cartoon's caption references "the old swimming-hole" receiving "sentimental tributes, but who remembers the old mud-puddle?" This appears to be social satire contrasting romanticized nostalgia with overlooked everyday realities. The image shows a woman jumping in mud while well-dressed men observe, suggesting satire about class consciousness, selective memory, or perhaps gender role expectations. The cartoons employ typical Judge-era visual humor: exaggerated figures, domestic or genteel settings, and wordplay targeting middle-class pretension and British social conventions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Bell’s Folly,” or, the First Telephone The other day, the whilet I was glancing through my eney- clopedia for a corkscrew which had gone astray, I chanced to en- counter an account of the first telephone conversation. It seems that Prof. Bell, desiring to. un- whether his brain-child would function, had addressed his ant in the next rocm crisply. tson, come here, [ want 3 The narrative went on to say that Mr. Watson was so be- wildered by these from the receiver that he was paralyzed in his left leg and thus was prevented from taking out his first citizen's papers. Besides totally inacen- rate in this account, the eneyelo- there was another person present in the room with Prof. Bell at the time. This was a man named Chowder, who was acting in the capacity of an iceman to Bell. Chowder was a branch of my family tree, and ay we Chowders are a proud lot T will attempt to deseribe the exact events. Chowder’s statement says that cover words issuing being pedia forgot to mention th “Famous Wisecracks” he had gone around to Bell's F on Evans Street to see if Bell wanted any ice that day. He knocked on the door twice and received no answer. Thinking that Bell was out and that somebe might have left the safe open, entered. Bell was. sitting in’ a chair smoking what Chowder de scribes as a pipe. ‘There was no body in the next room, principally because it was a one-rcom apart ment without bath. “What can [do for you?” said “Can you use some ice today?” said Chowder. “What kind of ice is it?” was Bell's query. “Tt is some ice like this,” said Chowder, showing him a sample he always carried in his pocket. “No. 1 don't think [can use said Bell. “T have not any “What do you do, send your drinks te the North © to cool them off? “Get the out of here be fore 1 Y said Bell with an oath, Chowder then said Chowder, withdrew te a corner of the room and bid behind a test-tube, for he had heard that Bell was going to try his tele phone that day. His patienes was rewarded finally, for Bell picked up the transmitter. Chow der waited with bated breath, his hands clammy. “Hello?” said Bell Watkins 3668.7 There was a moment of silence, by the noise of the ice melting in Chowder’s pocket. Then Bell spoke again “Hey. Barney, is that) you? Yeh, Alex... . Vine Say, how did that one you “Give me broken only The old swimming-hole nas received many sentimental tributes, but who remembers the old mud-puddle? comicbooks.com