On the first and the second pages of the journal is a story about the meeting of the Society for the Spreading of Literacy among Georgians. The pseudonym of the writer is “Devil”,* which is why we see a nearly bare man with horns in the background of the picture.

The “Devil” ironically talks about the circumstances of the meeting. The most important part of the story is an argument between two members of the society - Filipp Makharadze** and Petre Surguladze.*** The argument is about the purchasing of old manuscripts. Filipp Makaradze preferred the money to be spent on public affairs. While Petre Surguladze passionately supported manuscripts as the part of the past (the “Devil” is satirical about this pathos). 

Later on, the “Devil” says that another member of the society - Grigol Rtskhiladze**** “blew air” and “burst” the childish speech of Petre Surguladze, which is why there is a big balloon in the center of the composition. As it seems, the society members' speeches are compared to a thin balloon that can be burst very easily. 

 

*Devil was a pseudonym of Georgian publicist, writer and caricaturist Nestor Kalandadze (1874-1942).
**Filipp Makharadze (1868 - 1941) was a Georgian Bolshevik revolutionary and government official.
***Petre Surguladze (1873 - 1931) was a Georgian politician, publicist and a member of the Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Georgia.
****Grigol Rtskhiladze (1876 - 1934) was a Georgian lawyer, publicist and critic.

Source: The National Parliamentary Library of Georgia