Life, 1894-10-18 · page 7 of 16
Life — October 18, 1894 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine (page 249) contains a single political cartoon titled "A MISTAKE" showing a Harriet Beecher Stowe bust or sculpture. The accompanying text reads: "Author of Sketch arts gravelly: 'What are you doing in the ash-can? I see the officer on your back was erased by lightning last night. There is something wrong about this. One cool doesn't show any of the marks.'" The cartoon appears to be satirizing either the removal or desecration of a Stowe memorial—likely referencing contemporary debates about public monuments. The reference to "the officer on your back" and erasure "by lightning" suggests commentary on vandalism or neglect of commemorative statuary. However, without knowing the specific historical moment this appeared, the precise political point remains unclear—it could reference efforts to remove or preserve abolitionist memorials.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
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