Puck — October 29, 1879 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Puck cartoon satirizes a military or political figure (caricatured with an exaggerated nose and top hat) as a hypocrite. The sign on the left references the "Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals" with "Hum. Bergh Priest," likely alluding to Henry Bergh, founder of the ASPCA. The figure holds a torch labeled "Hand of Liberty" while standing beside a small child soldier in military uniform. The satire's point: this person claims to care about preventing cruelty (to animals) yet supports or enables the brutal treatment of children through militarism or war. The caption "The Friend of the Brutes" is ironic—suggesting someone who befriends animals while disregarding human suffering, particularly children's welfare.