Life, 1889-10-10 · page 5 of 18
Life — October 10, 1889 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis The main cartoon, "A Council of War in a Fog," depicts military figures in silhouette conducting a wartime meeting while obscured by fog. The caption notes "the fox has gone home to lunch," suggesting military leadership is absent or ineffective during a critical moment. The accompanying text contains satirical quips about human nature and social behavior. One joke mocks railroad advertising about "passengers through without change," suggesting this would appeal to financially struggling people. Another states "Every miss hasn't a mission. Neither has every man a mansion"—social commentary on poverty and unfulfilled potential. The page appears to date from World War I era, using fog and absent military leadership as metaphors for wartime confusion and incompetence. The satire critiques both military management and broader social inequality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AN ALL-NIGHT BALL, “e H, me!" sighed the aged and respect- able Angora, as she saw one of her kittens carried off by a restaurant keeper, “Ah, me! To think that a child of mine should become a pousse café! It is too much, WHEN a man “gives himself away urally loses his self-posses- sion. Money makes the fair go. PICTORIAL SHAKESPEARE A COUNCIL OF WAR IN A FOG. In the meantime the fox has gone home to lunch. > OME railroads advertise to carry passengers “ through without change.” This will be “OMY PRoPHEtiC souL! Mine gladsome information to tramps and other persons financially short. UNCLE" —— hamlet, Act 1. Scene V. Every miss hasn't a mission. Neither has every man a mansion. comicbooks.com