The Wasp, 1913 · page 120 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 120: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page depicts a dramatic Victorian-era dialogue between characters named Stanton, Mrs. Black, and references to "Kitty." The scene appears to be a serialized fiction excerpt rather than a political cartoon. The satire concerns social scandal and blackmail. Mrs. Black attempts to intimidate Stanton by revealing that Kitty's father is merely a tailor in Wantage, implying her low social status should embarrass Stanton (who appears to be of higher rank). Stanton responds aggressively, dismissing the threat—he claims mutual acquaintance with "James Burnham," a gentleman of Sir Walter Burnham's family, and suggests they share secrets that ensure mutual silence ("He'll keep his mouth shut"). The humor derives from the exposure of upper-class hypocrisy: gentlemen protect each other's reputations regardless of moral failings, while women of lower social standing remain vulnerable to shame. The tailor's daughter represents the precarious position of working-class women in this rigid class system.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 117 ment House—bah, I care no more for him than I do for your venerable papa in the village church- yard. I have already met him. Your delicate rep- utation has nothing to fear from him, I assure you. But where is Kitty? Take me to her.” “You have met him?” cried Mrs. Black. “And you have no fear.of what he knows? And yet Kitty has confessed to me that he knew her in Wantage, where she was the——” “What’s that?” roared Stanton, laying violent hold of the woman’s plump shoulders. ‘‘What lie is this you have frightened out of her?” Mrs. Black was cowed. The color dropped from her long face. “‘She—she said that her father is the tailor of Wantage, and—and this gentleman is a son of Sir Walter Burnham, of Burnham,” stammered the woman. “Ts that all?’ exclaimed Stanton. ‘Well, what of that? This James Burnham knows me, too— and I know him. He’ll keep his mouth shut about the tailor of Wantage, I promise you! All that you Comichbooks.com