Judge, 1928-10-06 · page 12 of 36
Judge — October 6, 1928 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Page This page contains a humorous letter from a mother to her son who has just married and plans to live in a cottage by a waterfall—likely referencing the popular 1912 song "A Little Cottage Small by a Waterfall." The satire targets **song-writing culture** and **bohemian lifestyles**. The mother's folksy, grammatically imperfect letter pokes fun at: 1. **Song writers' romantic clichés**: The cottage-by-waterfall imagery was trendy in popular songs, mocked here as impractical fantasy. 2. **Unstable relationships**: The joke about the bride belonging to "somebody else in June" satirizes the rapid turnover in song-writers' romantic lives. 3. **Impracticality of artists**: The mother's practical concerns (lease terms, rent, utilities) clash absurdly with artistic inspiration-seeking, suggesting artists were viewed as irresponsible. The cartoon illustration shows fashionably dressed figures, likely representing the song-writing crowd's pretentiousness. The phrase "That's a lotta hooey!" reinforces the skepticism toward romanticized artistic lifestyle claims.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Letters From a Song Writer’s Mother to Her Son Dear Son: We was happy to hear when you got married you was going to live in a cottage small by a water- fall, because while of course we always got room for you here if we could find it we didn’t know the girl you was going with and besides we wouldn't” like her probably because while she would be yours in May she would be- long to somebody else in June, because that is the way song writer's girls go. So we was just as g taking this place mention. Popper says don’t sign a lease for lad you was JUDGE “That's a lotta hooey!” more than one year because styles in song writing we and you wouldn't want to be tied out there for inspiration when maybe the song direction would turn toward the south nand you wouldn't want to be ar away from your Mommer. Also Popper says how many rooms have you got and if it is a small house the rent must be low and you can save money. And if you want my advice don’t tell Jim your address, even if he is your pal, or else you will be bro- ken-hearted in. It is a funny thing and a co- incidence, but when me and Pop- per was married we went to Niagara Falls on our hor ymoon, but we never thought of living in a cottage small by there. We would no more thought of that than going over it ina rubber bs Some people think of funny th But when you play with rubber balls you should stay on the outside of them. Popper 50. ays I hope you find happiness in your own backyard, even if in this Case it isa waterfall, [have heard of some funny things in’ back- yards, but that is the best. Run- ning water is beautiful to look at, but wouldn't it be better to ha it in the house. Your loving Mommer. —R. C. O'Brtes 10 comicbooks.com