A complete issue · 27 pages · 1917
Judge — July 7, 1917
# "Excuse Me!" - Judge Magazine, July 7, 1917 This cartoon by Norman Rockwell depicts a social awkwardness scenario typical of Judge's humor. Two well-dressed men in formal attire (suits and hats) flank a young woman in an elaborate dress with a distinctive high feathered hat. The caption "EXCUSE ME!" suggests an interruption or intrusion on the couple's interaction. The satire likely comments on wartime social etiquette or romantic entanglements during World War I (1917). The woman's fashionable appearance and the men's formal dress suggest upper-class society. The humor derives from the awkward moment of interruption—whether representing unwanted advances, romantic rivalry, or social protocol violations—common themes in Judge's satirical commentary on contemporary manners and morals.
# Judge Magazine, July 7, 1917 This page is primarily a **table of contents** for Judge's weekly issue, listing articles and illustrations by various contributors. The left side contains an advertisement for a book about a 1,838-year-old Roman bar room excavated at Pompeii, with historical commentary about early Christian customs and New Testament language. The cover design by **Norman Rockwell** is titled "Excuse Me!" The contents suggest typical Judge fare: political satire ("Horse and Cart—Sizes and Sevens"), social commentary, and humorous illustrations. Given the July 1917 date, this was published during American involvement in **World War I** — suggested by the article "When the Boys Come Marching Home." The page itself contains no visible political cartoons to analyze.
# "The Bride's Bouquet" This illustration shows a bride's face above an enormous floral bouquet composed entirely of tiny cherub or baby faces. The title "THE BRIDE'S BOUQUET" is printed below. The satire likely comments on Victorian marriage customs and expectations about fertility and motherhood. By replacing flowers with infant faces, the cartoon sarcastically suggests that a bride's primary value or destiny is producing children. This plays on period anxieties about women's roles—the bouquet, traditionally a symbol of beauty and celebration at weddings, becomes instead a visual joke about the bride's future as a mother. The image reflects Judge magazine's tendency toward commentary on gender roles and domestic life in the late 19th century.
