Puck, 1877-07-25 · page 11 of 16
Puck — July 25, 1877 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This silhouette cartoon depicts a fishing scene with satirical intent. A woman holds a fishing rod while three well-dressed men (appearing to be gentlemen, possibly European based on their formal attire) stand nearby. The accompanying verse describes a "Wise German youth, and a Gallic buzzer" discussing lost fishing bait—but the humor operates on multiple levels. The "bait" appears metaphorical: the woman represents bait used to attract the men. The poem's wordplay between literal fishing bait and romantic/social attraction suggests the cartoon satirizes courtship rituals or gender relations of the era. The reference to a "young Boston lady" and men "taking a tour" implies commentary on international romance or the social dynamics between American women and foreign gentlemen travelers, a common subject in Puck's satirical humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WISE German youth, and a Gallic huzzar, f Huzzar, huzzar, One day took a stroll on the banks of the Aar, Of the Aar, of the Aar; Said the German: ‘“ Monsieur, if you please, do you vishen On de banks of dis riffer zu fischen, zu fischen ?”” ‘The Frenchman, in rather amazed a condition, Just winked with one eye, then scratching his pate, Said, ‘Oui, oui, mon ami, but vhere is ze bait? Ze bait, ze bait ? Mon ami, but vhere is ze bait ?”” BAIT! IL. ‘The Teuton in French nota bit could converse, A Converse, converse, And the Frenchman spoke German, oh, very much worse, Much worse, much worse; So in English they spoke, and the German re- plying, Said: ‘See ofer dere vhere das Madchen is drying To fish!” And when they had concluded some guying, 5 They made, both agreeing, decidedly straight To where they imagined they'd discovered their bait, Their bait, their bait, To where they'd discovered their bait. Il. A young Boston lady, both learned’and pure, And pure, and pure, Abroad on the banks had been taking 2 tour, A tour, a tour; She believed in the sports that we poor men delight in, And so, full of nerve, for a “ fish” she’@ gone right in, With graceful composure that nothing could frighten, And with rod in her hand, and with mind ina state : ¥ Of remarkable firmness, said, ‘‘ Where is my bait? My bait, my bait! Said, where is my bait, my bait?” IV. The masculine anglers drew near to their prey, Their prey, their prey; The maiden beheld them, and said, ‘‘ Who are they ? Who are they, who are they ?” She wanted a fly, and she grew somewhat bolder, And. casting ashy look across the right shoulder; Observed, in a voice just a wee trifle colder: “I'll go back to Boston; O pshaw! how I hate To find when I fish I’ve forgotten my bait, ;» My bait, my bait, To find I've forgotten my Vv. Then the Frenchman drew back and exclaimed “ Sacre bleu ! * Sacre bleu! Sacre bleu!” And fe Geman did likewise, temarking: “Oh weh Oh weh, oh weh! “It don’t vos no use; ve muss gif up dis posten, Dis fishing’s no good, I hef learnt to my Aosten: Don't fool ‘mit a female who yoost come from + ¢ Bosten!” ’ And the anglers retreated with ratherswift gait, And left t'other angler to find her own bait! Own bait! own bait! T’other angler to find he comicbooks.com