Judge, 1928-10-20 · page 9 of 36
Judge — October 20, 1928 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains two satirical pieces mocking early 20th-century social affectations: **"What I Mean"** ridicules women who habitually insert "I mean" and "really" into conversation for emphasis. The male narrator expresses violent frustration toward this verbal tic, wishing he could silence such women. The satire targets pretentious speech patterns among upper-class women. **The golf anecdote** mocks wealthy women's propriety. Two society ladies playing golf discuss one woman's minimal undergarments—a shocking admission for the era. The humor derives from the contrast between their refined pretenses and the scandalous confession about wearing almost nothing beneath her dress. **"The Baptism of Fire"** is a mock-heroic piece about enduring the smoker car on a train (the "5.21"). The flowery language describing navigating through toxic smoke and poisonous fumes treats finding a vacant window seat as an epic achievement worthy of pride. All three pieces satirize upper-class affectation, pretension, and the gap between social appearances and reality in the Jazz Age/1920s era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
What I Mean With sword and gun, with poison was, With lethal weapons, shot and sling I'd like to smite the silly lass Who adds “I w thing. nto every And to “I mean” this hate of mine Must add a “really,” thinking this Will aid her devastating “line” And give her statements em- phasis. “You know, I simply love to dance— Ido, I mean I really do!” Oh, for a sharp and pointed lance, Oh, for a cup of hemlock too! I still could grin at quondam quips If she were silenced now for I still could thrill to lovely lips I could, I mean I really could! —Aurnen 1. Livestays The ritzy country club that kept some live stock has it outfitted in proper form, xo lovely young ladies of the haute monde were playing golf one day. “Tell me, Goldie,” croaked Lady Clara, “tell me, Goldie, what is the least you ever went around this cou “Some step-ins and an old velvet guimpe,” confessed that blushing miss, with something between a sigh and a sob. The delighted caddy could scarcely wait to repeat this to his Mamsie. se in?” | The Baptism of Fire Dense, blinding smoke—great gusts of it—drifted up the nar-— | row corridor and assailed my eyes. Acrid fumes filled my nostrils. I stood for a moment at the threshold before taking — the plunge into that dark, foreboding. sulphurous place. Then I filled my lungs with pure, sweet r, lowered my head, and grimly started forward. Now the smoke rolled up in mighty waves and tears started from my eyes. Past drifting wisps of poisonous gas, past air pockets perfumed with the odor of burning chemicals I made my way, And finally, just as I was about to turn back in defeat, I saw a riftin the fe With a ery of relief I dashed | on and dropped into a vacant seat. My pulses pounded proudly, for I had achieved the impossible—I had found a vacant seat by the window in the smoker of the 5.21! Antiur DL. Lirpaaxn comicbooks.com