Life — April 23, 1885 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine (page 229) contains a satirical cartoon about legal/political matters. The caption reads: "He is a lawyer, and apparently busy one can never find him at his office, for he says 'If I had bred my one basket I should have made a better show!'" The cartoon depicts a man (the lawyer) in his office, appearing disorganized or absent. The satire targets the common complaint about lawyers being unavailable or inaccessible despite their importance. The phrase about "one basket" suggests a critique of the lawyer's divided attention or scattered business practices—the implication being that if he concentrated his efforts, he'd be more successful or present for clients. This reflects era concerns about professional availability and accountability.