Life, 1894-11-29 · page 9 of 16
Life — November 29, 1894 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Content Analysis This page from *Life* magazine presents two illustrated panels labeled "The Wonders of America": **Left panel:** Shows Bloominjoy's Rock in Idaho with a prehistoric inscription—likely a genuine natural landmark the magazine treats as noteworthy Americana. **Right panel:** Depicts the Young Ladies Seminary of Solid Brass in Chicago—a satirical architectural fantasia with an ornate domed building and decorative pathway. The accompanying dialogue is a comedic sketch about a merchant negotiating with someone (possibly a Cadi, suggesting Middle Eastern context) regarding disciplining daughters. The humor centers on absurd proposals: locking up girls, bastinading, hiring actors to entertain them at expense. The satire appears to mock both exaggerated parental discipline and the pretentious nature of women's educational institutions. The "solid brass" seminary likely ridicules affected, overly-ornamental architecture and institutions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WONDERS OF AMERICA. BLooMINjoy’s ROCK, WITH PREHISTORIC INSCRIPTION, IDAHO. Youno Laptes SEMINARY OF SoLID Brass, CHIcaco, “ What do you want me to do then? Have your daughters locked up, or bastinadoed ?” “Min Allah—God forbid—your highness. They are not bad girls but only the victims of a sort of madness which no ician can heal, so I come to you for the wisdom of your 6 “Your highness!" “Send out the janizaries and capture thirty or forty actors." “It is as good as done, your highness.” “ Then provide each day, for thirty days, a dinner for them at this merchant's expense.” “ But, your sublimity,” exclaimed the merchant, “I am not a millionaire!" “Let the dinner consist of pork and beans, Mustapha. And, Mustapha, if at any time any actor should talk of any- thing but himself. s “Such a thing is not possible, your highness.” “Silence. If by any chance he should make this fatal error let him be bastinadoed at once. Merchant, if at the end of thirty days your daughters are not cured of their madness and have any desire ever again to know an actor, do you return hither and further justice shall be done.” “ Mobarek—may you be fortunate——" said the merchant as he withdrew, “and may the blessing of Allah ever rest on your highness’s head.” “ Mustapha,” asked the Cadi as he closed the audience, “do you not think that as a Cadi | frends le gateau?” “ Not only that, your highness, but the whole cuzséne,” re- plied Mustapha, cautiously winking the other eye. J/etcal/e. H AYRICK: The bunco man told Hanks he looked upon him as one out of a thousand. TREETOP: Taffy. Hayrick: Nota bit of it. of the remark next day. Hanks realized the full force comicbooks.com