Judge — September 1, 1928 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Waiter at the Rivelers' Ball" This cartoon satirizes high society's pretensions through a visual pun. The title references "revelers" (partygoers), but the image depicts "rivelers"—a play on words suggesting something related to rivers or divisions. The central figure is a waiter serving at an upscale ball held in a tall building (possibly representing a skyscraper or luxury hotel). Multiple floors show wealthy socialites dining and dancing while the lone waiter navigates between levels. The satire likely critiques class divisions—the contrast between the indulgent revelers above and the laboring servant below emphasizes economic inequality. The architectural verticality visualizes social stratification. The "pitiful figures" caption suggests sympathy for working-class servants toiling while the privileged enjoy themselves, a common Judge magazine theme mocking Gilded Age excess.