Judge, 1928-08-18 · page 19 of 36
Judge — August 18, 1928 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes mail-order self-improvement schemes popular in the early 20th century. The main narrative mocks a man named Perelman who obtains a "leaflet" (actually a libel summons) that supposedly teaches him French instantly. The joke's premise: the threat of legal action motivates learning better than legitimate instruction. The cartoons illustrate absurd consequences. The top image shows a waiter's confusion when Perelman orders in French, resulting in a T-bone steak delivered as a necklace. The middle cartoon depicts "Seven Scotchmen commit suicide"—presumably from shock at the waiter's bungling. The bottom cartoon appears unrelated, showing a gazebo scene with someone asking about romantic moonlight at two similarly-named lakes (likely fictional, nonsensical names). The text continues the satire, noting Perelman became a stammering "expert" through similar dubious correspondence courses. The final joke about ordering "roisters" only in months containing specific letters mocks the arbitrary, overcomplicated "rules" these schemes marketed as specialized knowledge. The satire targets gullibility and mail-order fraud.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘To the surprise of the assemblage, Mr, Perelman, who had astounded everybody by — remaini quict until that time, replied in perfect French and gave the waiter his order, A moment later Perel- man's friends were plying him | with questions. | “Why, Sherman,” said one, “I |} never “knew you could speak | French!" or could T until Tread this leaflet,” said Perelman, throwing a paper on the table. One of his | friends opened it. | “Why,” he said, “this seems to | be a summons for libel or some- thin, r—a slight error, heh, heh, « i PS po t sf a i, ee aie wh wate eae Luiretiax—Don't be needlessly alarmed. I’m just the snatching I edly. matching. st Upp hitieriedls gang-member who attends to the petty larceny. is what I really meant to show you.” And he handed them a prospcetus for the Ted Weems School of Spanish. Before any- one had a chance to comment, the waiter arrived with Mr. Perel- man's order. Unfortunately, the waiter did not understand French as well as he spoke it, for he had brought a T-bone steak with parsley instead of the Virginia ham omelet ordered. Mr. Perel- man’s friends were so amused by the steak around his neck like a la illicre and threw him out, The writer further states that he became an expert: stammerer in this way: he chanced to see an advertisement for a school for stammerers and wrote for a cata- ruc. He then picked out two rses and in four lessons be- ir stammerer, and in expert. He is now fre- quently called to parties to dis- play his knowledge of the diticult art, where he holds all in’ thrall with his glibly suave stammering. He has even taken a few select pupils, although not in’ stamnmer- ing; Mr. Perelman teaches them practical roistering plishment hardly less ditheult, together with a working knowl- of how to order roisters. theory is that one should ' | the episode that they wrapped came seven an accom= | His order roisters only in’ months i containing the letter 7." This | | makes it all very complicated, but | in odd months which contain the letter “Z" one may order zlams. “Could you tell me if the moonlight is more romantic at Lake —Prnecman Wanhopek or at Lake Minkinamosa?” |