Judge, 1931-12-19 · page 9 of 36
Judge — December 19, 1931 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Christmas Eve" Analysis This is a Dickensian parody—a deliberate homage to Charles Dickens's *A Christmas Carol*. The story follows "Old Scrooge," a wealthy, selfish elderly man who experiences a change of heart on Christmas Eve and resolves to help the Widow Pounds and her four poor children, despite his severe illness. The satire works by mimicking Dickens's sentimental moral tale structure: the isolated rich man, the impoverished family, the redemptive Christmas spirit, and the protagonist's physical suffering as metaphor for spiritual awakening. The phrase "Dickens Through and Through" signals that Judge magazine is affectionately spoofing both the story's melodramatic earnestness and Dickens's characteristic sentimentality. The various cartoon panels illustrate scenes from the narrative—Scrooge's decision, the limousine journey, street crowds—emphasizing the story's theatrical, serialized quality typical of period fiction. The final image caption ("Thank Heaven, this species will soon be extinct!") likely jokes about Scrooge-like misers becoming obsolete through redemption.
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JUDGE Christmas Eve A Jolly Tale—Dickens Through and Through Bere a crackling fireplace sat an old man. Thinking... . He wrapped his shawl more closely bout him and edged toward — the hearth, A chill shook his s It was Christinas Eve! cht frame. And he was alone in the great. silent room, nddenty he heard voices, children’s ny beautiful) Christmas carols whieh led him back to his own distant childhood days. He listened while the cs lasted. then they faded into the distance and Old Seros again alone with his reveries. After a bit he tottered toward: the window and gazed into the desolate whiteness of the street. He opened the window and a gust of wind blew snowHakes against his pallid face. Old . we hurriedly closed it ds tot- tered back to the easy chair before the fire, He was a sick man, and he knew it. He coughed several times, hands Se trembling, His face was a picture of dejection. Then he held his bony arms aloft and cried softly: “L must her and her little ones tonight, even though I perish.” H°* was thinking of the Widow Pounds and her four small chil- dren, who lived in the outskirts of the city. She was a poor woman who sewed for a living. Old Sero had been a selfish old man now for nearly seventy years and it appeared that at last. cent. kindly a was very wealthy. He was going to do a de- hy - , “ ahd AYR {ye DONO He rang for the batler and ordered his fur coat and sealskin cap. ‘The butler scarce believed his ears, but dared not question the command. Now." snapped Old) Ser “the carl” As the limousine purred before the entrance the old man turned to. the butler, “Tonight is Christmas Eve The butler nodded understandi A gust of wind nearly upset the old man as another servant opened the door. Instantly, Old) Scrooge was 1 with another dreadful spell of coughing. The servant quickly closed the door and assisted him to a chair. “Beg pardon, sir, but don't you think you had better remain indoors tonight trembled and slowly an- Tomust make this trip to night, Klauber, even if it costs me my life.” “But, sir, you are very: sick.” “True, Klauber, true; but you don’t know what this trip means to me.” Finally the old man) was ready in, Together, the butler and chau feur assisted him into the limousine, “Where to—sir?” “Seventy-one Bleak St.” replied the old man, Slowly, the car crunched down the drive and the old man pulled the lap- robe tightly about his scrawny limbs shivering in’ silence. Seroog swered, The weather was even more severe than he had anticipated. The car swayed and lurched through the ice-covered streets, then headed (Continued on page 31) “Thank Heaven, this species will soon be extinct!” kj SUBWAY GN TRANCE comicbooks.com