Judge, 1928-08-04 · page 9 of 36
Judge — August 4, 1928 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis: "The Winning of Bridget" This domestic humor piece satirizes servant-employer relations and early-20th-century class dynamics. Mrs. Pendergast, a wealthy homeowner, attempts to recruit Bridget (an Irish domestic worker, indicated by the name and dialect) by listing modern conveniences: electric vacuum, player piano, electric refrigerator. The satire's point: Bridget initially rejects these amenities as unimpressive—until Mrs. Pendergast mentions the household *still uses an old-fashioned ice box* requiring daily visits from "Peter, the ice man." Bridget suddenly agrees to stay, revealing her true motivation is romance, not labor conditions or technology. The sidebar poem reinforces the theme: a heartbroken woman in service work, reminiscing about losing a man when her previous employer modernized to electric refrigeration (eliminating ice deliveries). The joke mocks both servants' priorities and the newly wealthy's assumption that modern appliances would impress working-class employees more than personal relationships.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE The Winning of Bridget “I really think you'd like this said Mrs. Pendergast. our help very well. In vd be regarded as one of nily here. “T don't choose to take it,” said Bridget. “Your room is large, well-ven- tilated and nicely — furnished.” “We a ean dster, little ter you have finished the rdishes. We have an elec tric vacuum cleaner, an clectric the good matro piano that a sport model sup now you'll surely look elsewhere.” But Bridget seemed quite in terested. “Sure, Mrs. 1 gast, and it is a handicap,” said ut this Peter, the ice man - ht Task you if the lad has bl es and’ dark, wavy hair and a cute little sear on the tip of his pugsy nv yhy, ves.” “Then i think maybe I'll stay. “A dozen oranges, and don’t try to slip in any bad ones, "cause I’m watching you!” dish-washing machine and send out all the laundr. But Bridget obdurate, “He about electric refrigera- tion?” she casually asked. Mrs. Pendergast didn’t like the question. She hemmed and hawed for a few seconds. “Sorry,” she said, “but we haven't — gotten around to that ye We still have an old-f: ioned ice box, and Peter, the ice man, still comes around every morning. I suppose 1 give you strict orders not to forage? a lamb slung over his shoulder) ety-blank sheep can bite me and get a my heart is breaking, 1 must laugh, ¢ THERE’S A BREAKING HEART ’NEATH MY GAY MOTLEY, SOBBED THE PUNCHINELLO T know a man who rides a girl's bicycle and bakes pies; his name is Dorothy. But down this one: Cavtain—Say, didn't Buen Private (sith Maybe you did, but no blank ay with it! Even though zen, laugh. I first cast eves on him two years ago when [ was working for Mrs. Brown. Then they put in the darned electric ice box—a plague on it—and T lost my man nce then Tve an old-fashioned place — where maybe I could meet him again, Pll start right in, Mrs. Pender- gast, if you don't mind.” —Antier L. Lireaann comicbooks.com