The Wasp, 1913 · page 179 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 179: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **serialized fiction rather than cartoons**—it's a narrative passage describing characters aboard a ship. The text appears to be from a longer story featuring a schooner and its crew of forty-six men. The passage characterizes two crew members for the reader: **Trimmer**: A robust, jovial sailor-type with a square face and ruddy complexion. Despite the harsh maritime life, he remains cheerful, loves tavern singing, and is flirtatious with women ashore. **Slim Sam**: Presented as an ascetic contrast—narrow-faced, serious, introspective, modestly dressed and quiet-spoken, resembling a priest in self-denial. The narrative voice (Burnham, apparently the protagonist) observes these men with detached amusement, noting that sailors and maritime society mirror the social hierarchies and character types found among English gentry, London's dissolute wealthy, and colonial planters. This appears to be serialized adventure fiction rather than political satire, though *The Wasp* was primarily a satirical magazine.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
er 174 THE WASP alt a A ee ES Se ce la Aa and the original company. All told, the schooner’s company now numbered forty-six. Burnham studied these new associates of his with interest, and was amused to note how little they differed, save in profession and manners, from other societies in which he had mixed—from the gentry of Berkshire, the hell-rakes of London, and the officials and planters of Nevis. Trimmer himself looked like an honest and kindly yeoman, except when his anger was aroused or his vanity wounded. His face was square, his skin rough and ruddy, his head round as a bullet. He was by nature merry of spirit and of sturdy constitution; and the bloodshed and hard, high liv- ing of his calling had not yet impaired either his humor or his health. Ashore in populous ports he was an untiring singer in taverns, a great pincher of feminine cheeks and chucker of feminine chins. Slim Sam suggested to Burnham’s mind a priest in a hair shirt, so narrow was his face, so inbrood- ing his dark eyes, so modest his manner and quiet his voice. He wore no bright colors, he cropped his Comichooks.com