The Wasp, 1913 · page 148 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 148: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be **prose fiction rather than a political cartoon**—specifically a serialized story rather than satirical commentary. The narrative describes a gentleman named James Burnham helping someone named Todd escape via window with a box and leather bag, then writing a farewell letter to "the governor's daughter." The opening quote about "a fine gentleman makes a brisker pirate nor any common sailorman" suggests the story involves gentlemen engaged in piracy or criminal activity—likely satirizing the romantic notion of gentleman criminals. The reference to Todd's secret window departure and Burnham's fatalistic farewell letter implies an adventure narrative, possibly involving crime, espionage, or political intrigue. Without additional context about this serial story's plot or The Wasp's publication date, the specific historical references remain unclear, though the gentlemanly criminal theme was a common satirical subject in 19th-century American publications.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 145 I have heard it said as how a fine gentleman makes a brisker pirate nor any common sailorman.” An hour later Todd took his departure by way of the window. Mr. Burnham let a small, heavy box down to him on the end of a strong cord, and next let down a bulky leather bag. Todd, with the bag under his left arm and the box in‘his right hand, vanished among the garden shrubberies, and Burnham went to his desk at the back of the room and lit another candle. He spread out a few sheets of paper and trimmed a quill. He filled a pipe and lit it at the flame of the candle. His mind turned from Kitty Trimmer to Elizabeth Nash. James Burnham wrote a letter of farewell to the governor’s daughter. The morning might see his death; at the best it would find him an outcast again, with disgrace behind him and hardships and danger in front; but he smiled and dipped his pen and applied himseif to the art of words with an undivided mind. He wrote, crossed out, and rewrote. He gnawed J Comichooks.com