Judge — December 4, 1920

# Analysis of "What Shall I Give 'HIM' for Christmas?" This appears to be primarily **advertising content** disguised as editorial advice, promoting a subscription to *Judge* magazine itself as a Christmas gift. The cartoon shows a woman offering a gift to a seated man (husband, father, or boyfriend—generically "HIM"), while he looks uncertain or unenthusiastic. The accompanying text argues that a year-long *Judge* subscription solves the perennial gift-giving problem for men. The pitch emphasizes *Judge*'s humor and illustrations will provide "cheer and merriment" throughout 1921, and claims the magazine reaches "over one million readers." A coupon offers to send a "handsome Christmas card" announcing the gift. This is essentially **gift marketing masquerading as lifestyle advice**—a common magazine promotional strategy of this era.

# "The Skeptics" - Judge Magazine, December 4, 1929 This illustration by Walter De Maris depicts two children gazing up a fireplace chimney, apparently looking for Santa Claus or evidence of his existence. The drawing is titled "The Skeptics." The satire likely references the post-Christmas period or the growing skepticism of children regarding Santa Claus mythology. Given the publication date of December 4, 1929—just days after the stock market crash of October 1929—there may be additional social commentary about lost faith and disillusionment during America's economic crisis. The children's upward gaze suggests doubt or questioning, embodying the broader cultural skepticism of the era. The composition emphasizes youthful innocence confronting harsh reality, whether regarding Santa or economic turmoil.

# "Why Not, During the Christmas Shopping?" This cartoon by Ross Wentover satirizes the chaotic overcrowding of urban streets during Christmas shopping season. The scene shows a massive throng of pedestrians filling a city street, with a traffic policeman attempting to direct the crowd near a prominent column (appearing to be a public monument or building entrance). The satire targets the commercialization and madness of holiday shopping—the implication being that if crowds are this unmanageable anyway, why not also use the time for other purposes? The densely packed, frenzied composition emphasizes how shopping season transforms orderly city streets into barely-controllable human traffic jams. Store windows visible in background ("Slow Down Santa Claus," "Pet Park") suggest various retailers capitalizing on holiday commerce.

# "The Last Quart" - A Christmas Tale This page presents a short story by Ellis Parker Butler titled "The Last Quart," a satirical Christmas tale about the final bottle of whiskey remaining on Earth. The narrative concerns a wealthy man, John Juggs, who invites distinguished guests to witness him drink this last quart—an apparently absurd premise meant to mock both prohibition-era anxieties and the pretensions of wealthy collectors. The accompanying illustrations by Calvert Smith and Paul Bransom depict a snow-covered colonial house and John Juggs with his dog, visualizing the story's setting. The satire targets the obsessive materialism of the ultra-wealthy and the cultural anxieties surrounding alcohol scarcity, likely referencing Prohibition's impact on American society.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains a satirical story about a missing whiskey bottle at a Christmas gathering. The narrative depicts a host (Alphonse Jiggles) discovering theft among his twelve "bosom friends" and devising a counting game to identify the guilty party. The left illustration by Merrell De Maris shows "How Father Feels at Christmas Time"—a portly gentleman with an accordion, likely satirizing sentimental holiday traditions. The right illustration by Charles Hughes depicts an exaggerated tall figure with children, captioned "Mr. Mook (selecting a new Xmas cravat)—I kinda like the style of that upper one—let's try that." The humor relies on period-specific references to holiday excess, theft among social circles, and fashion absurdity. Without additional context, the specific individuals or events referenced remain unclear, though the satirical tone targets contemporary holiday customs and social pretension.

# Explanation for Modern Readers This Judge magazine page contains three satirical pieces: **"If He Came in the Daytime"** (top): A visual gag about a man so dense ("solid bone") that hitting his head with an empty whiskey bottle causes no damage. The humor relies on the absurdist premise and Prohibition-era whiskey references. **"Up to Date"** (middle): Social satire mocking working-class aspirations. A manicurist and building janitor get engaged; their families are tradespeople (butcher, coal miners, window cleaners). The joke is the ironic contrast: they plan to live on Riverside Drive (an upscale neighborhood) and considered buying Skibo Castle (Andrew Carnegie's Scottish estate), despite their modest backgrounds. "Up to date" sarcastically suggests their pretensions reflect modern social climbing. **"True to Tradition"** (bottom): A brief joke about a Boston terrier so aristocratic it requires formal dinner announcements. The cartoons on the right appear to be humorous figure studies unrelated to the text below them.

# Explanation for Modern Readers This is a winter scene by artist Johnny Gruelle titled "Yapp's Crossing: Santa Claus's Whiskers Get in Touch with the Xmas Candles." The cartoon depicts a crowded holiday celebration at what appears to be a small town or village square, with numerous figures enjoying winter activities around buildings and a prominent church or bell tower. The humor appears to reference Santa Claus's beard catching fire from Christmas candles—a physical comedy scenario typical of Judge magazine's satirical style. The chaotic scene with many characters suggests slapstick mishap. Without additional context about "Yapp's Crossing," the specific satirical target remains unclear, though the overall scene parodies holiday commercialization and village festivities common to early 20th-century American seasonal commentary.

# "A Regular Santa Claus" - Judge Magazine This page contains a humorous short story about Santa Claus visiting a household on Christmas Eve. The narrative follows Santa's encounter with a young boy named Edward who stays awake to catch him, then Santa's awkward meeting with Edward's father, who questions what Santa does for a living—a joke playing on Santa as an actual profession rather than mythology. The accompanying illustrations and comic scenarios satirize Victorian-era domestic life: a section titled "You Can't Beat the Machine" depicts a husband discovering his wife's infidelity through a phonograph recording, and "The Henpecked Motto" mocks marriages where husbands lack authority. The humor relies on period-specific anxieties about technology (phonographs as evidence), marital power dynamics, and the collision between childhood wonder and adult skepticism. The tone is lighthearted rather than biting social commentary.

# "Bad Breaks" Page from Judge Magazine This page showcases **"Bad Breaks,"** Judge's humor column featuring unintentionally funny newspaper clippings—typographical errors, awkward phrasing, and logical absurdities from real newspapers. Readers submitted clippings for $1 each; Judge paid $5 weekly for the best. Examples include: - A wedding where the minister used "a blue traveling suit with hat" (unclear if the minister or bride wore it) - Math absurdity: "20,000 will be able to vote" out of "12,000 actors" - A "toy soldier" who was eleven pounds and twenty-two years old - A street car that rescued shipwreck survivors (confusing "car" with "crew") The humor relies on **reader familiarity with newspaper errors**—a popular early-20th-century pastime. The satire gently mocks sloppy journalism and editing rather than targeting political figures. This reflects pre-digital publishing's vulnerability to human error in typesetting and proofreading, making such mistakes far more common and amusing to contemporaries.

# "Financing Sentiment" This is a romantic short story rather than political satire. The illustration shows a well-dressed man (John Grafton, a broker's clerk) attempting to court Maude, an attractive dining-room girl at a respectable boarding house. The satire targets *class and gender dynamics* of the era. Maude represents the "New Woman"—independent, well-dressed, self-reliant, and impervious to male advances despite her beauty. Young boarders repeatedly pursue her romantically, but she politely declines, maintaining her dignity and autonomy. The story's title suggests the joke: the men are financing their romantic "sentiment" (hoping to impress her with invitations to expensive venues like the Follies theater), but Maude resists commodification. She cannot be "purchased" through entertainment or attention, however sophisticated the suitor. The humor lies in exposing the gap between masculine presumption and female agency in early 20th-century courtship.

# Analysis: "A Boarding House Romance" This page depicts a serialized romantic story about Maude, a boarding-house resident pursued by multiple young male lodgers. The narrative satirizes class dynamics and courtship customs of the era. **The Setup:** Various wealthy suitors (Archie Jay, Billy Hanley, Donald Ferguson) vie for Maude's attention through expensive gestures—theater tickets, lavish gifts. She politely refuses them all. **The Satire:** The joke centers on **Donald Ferguson**, a Scottish businessman in the skirt trade, whom the other men mock as a "tightwad" too cheap to court properly. They plan to embarrass him by collectively raising money for Maude as a Christmas gift. **The Twist:** Maude announces her engagement—to the very man they've been ridiculing. The final illustration shows the men gathered around a Christmas tree in awkward realization. **Social Commentary:** The piece gently mocks upper-class assumptions that wealth and theatrical glamour guarantee romantic success, while the frugal, practical man "wins." It reflects early 20th-century boarding-house culture and courtship norms among young urban professionals.

# "Sorts of Fun" by Walt Mason This is a humorous essay contrasting two rival philosophies of leisure. The narrator is a man who loves reading adventure novels beneath a tree, while his acquaintance Johnson prefers outdoor pursuits—hunting, hiking, and physical exertion. The piece gently satirizes both approaches: Johnson thinks the narrator is lazy and foolish for sedentary reading; the narrator considers Johnson's exhausting activities pointless. Women in the story represent a middle path, enjoying both social picnics and intellectual pursuits. The underlying message is characteristically American progressive-era optimism: in a free country, different people can pursue happiness differently without judgment. The phrase "freedom's banner is waving over every guy" emphasizes individual liberty to choose one's own amusements—whether books or outdoor adventure—as long as nobody spoils another's fun. The illustration shows a domestic scene, likely depicting the contrast between indoor and outdoor leisure activities discussed in the text.