Life, 1892-12-29 · page 21 of 47
Life — December 29, 1892 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon features a circular design with "DONT FORGET US" in the center, surrounded by cherubs or putti figures arranged in a ring—a decorative, whimsical illustration rather than overtly political satire. Below, the section "Near the Truth, Perhaps" presents a humorous anecdote about a printing error. A writer supposedly submitted that opera singer Adelina Patti would tour America in 1894, but a publication called the "Bugle" printed it as "8194"—a thousand-year error. The joke's punchline—"But was it an error?"—suggests sardonic skepticism about the publication's competence, implying such mistakes were typical. The dialogue between an Englishman and American concerns laundry service availability between New York and London, a lighthearted commentary on transatlantic differences in service quality or reliability, likely reflecting period anxieties about international commerce and American versus British standards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NEAR THE TRUTH, PERHAPS. NGLISHMAN: Er—I beg pardon—er—do you think WROTE, ‘Patti will make her last farewell tour of 1 could get a little—er—laundry work done in New America in the year 1894,’ and the Bugle printed it York ? *in the year 8194.’ Wasn't it a curious error?” AMERICAN: Don’t know, I’m sure. Shouldn't be sur- “ But was it an error?” prised if you could, though. 1 had some done in London. 6c comicbooks.com