Judge, 1928-11-17 · page 8 of 36
Judge — November 17, 1928 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Few Subtle Pleasures" by Dr. Seuss This Judge magazine page presents humorous "activities" for bored or wealthy people seeking novelty. The satire targets the idle rich and their ennui—the jaded exhaustion from overconsumption of conventional pleasures. Each illustrated vignette proposes absurd "solutions": retired seamstresses sewing buttons onto ice cream cones, firefighters bobbing for pineapples on Halloween, red-headed cousins gargling while riding camels, and sophisticated snuff-takers performing elaborate rituals in foot-baths while masked musicians play sentimental songs. The humor lies in the contrast between the pretentious, elaborate setup and the ridiculous or pointless activities. The subtitle "Devised for Those Who Have Wearied of the Commonplace" mocks upper-class complaints about boredom despite their advantages. Early Seuss's satirical style—whimsical yet cutting—critiques wealth and privilege's inability to generate genuine satisfaction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE A Few Subtle Pleasures Devised for Those Who Have Wearied of the Commonplace By Dr. Seuss For Seamsters in Retirement When sewing on cloth has begun to lose its enchant- ment, what you need is a change. Amise yourself by sewing brown trouser but- tons on to a vanilla ice- cream cone. Bobbing for Pineapples A Hallowe'en diversion for fire- men who suffer from ennui. Gargling on Camel-Back (For Red-Headed Second Cousins) The Real Way to Take Snuff expanse of the desert on the back of a This one is a thriller to even the most blasé, Pose your- prancing camel! The old sport will take on new and self, ankle deep, in an 85-degree foot-bath, Give the signal delightful proportions with which you will never be for the masked trio to strike up Hearts and Flowers—and bored. inhale deeply. comicbooks.com