The Wasp, 1913 · page 136 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 136: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains narrative prose rather than a cartoon. It depicts a conversation between James Burnham and a governor regarding Burnham's brother Alexander, who is arriving on the ship *Tartar* within ten to fourteen days. The satire operates through Burnham's internal conflict: he initially appears pleased at his brother's impending arrival, but privately curses his luck. The text suggests Burnham has nefarious plans in Nevis that his brother's arrival will ruin—he had hoped to reestablish himself in "respectable" society, implying his current schemes are disreputable. *The Wasp* was a 19th-century American satirical publication, and this appears to be serialized fiction mocking social pretense and moral hypocrisy. The humor derives from exposing the gap between Burnham's public demeanor and his actual (apparently dishonest) intentions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 133 you, Master James! But don’t mind me, lad. Don’t mind my jokes. Tell me about this brother of yours. How long is it since you last saw him? _ What does he look like?” = “It is some years since I last saw him,” said Burnham. ‘He was at sea, a middy, when I was last at Burnham. A good lad he is, young Alexan- der. Did you say you expect the Tartar to arrive in twelve or fourteen days?” : “This letter is dated three days ago, and Captain Scovil says he hopes to sail in ten or twelve days,” replied the governor, looking at the letter in his hand. “Your brother may be here in ten days’ time.” James. Burnham looked pleased; but an hour later, in the privacy of his own room, he cursed his luck long and bitterly. Here was surely the ruin of his game in Nevis. Here was the end of his dreams of reéstablishing himself in the comfortable and respectable walk in life into which he had been born. No exertions on his part could make it possible comliciooks.com