Life — May 30, 1895 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

**Top cartoon:** A working-class Irish woman (Mrs. Rafferty) deflects a preachy lady missionary's moral criticism about cursing. Rafferty's retort—that both she and the missionary pray, but neither profits from virtue—mocks hypocrisy and class-based moralizing. The satire suggests wealthy religious women condemn the poor's behavior while achieving no moral superiority. **Bottom cartoon:** Titled "An American Street," it depicts a crowded urban scene with the caption referencing Lot's wife (biblical figure turned to salt for looking back). This appears to critique women's public visibility or behavior in modern American cities, likely satirizing either women's newfound freedom in public spaces or anxieties about changing gender roles—suggesting women "turning" (perhaps toward independence or modern behavior) will face punishment. Both cartoons use religious and moral frameworks ironically to critique social hypocrisy and gender-related social anxieties.