Florida Dudes - "Alligator Bait"

In April 1883, a widely-circulated Dude joke that originated in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle explained why useless New York Swells, recently dubbed "Dudes," were so popular in Florida, where many of them spent the winter.

“I suppose you have heard of our dudes, Miss Clarwa?” observed a New York swell to a Jacksonville girl.

“Oh, yes,” she answered, “they are becoming very popular in Florida.  We use them for alligator bait.”

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 15, 1883, page 4.

The Philadelphia Times, April 18, 1883, page 3.