The Wasp, 1913 · page 228 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 228: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains prose fiction rather than a political cartoon. It appears to be a serialized romantic story titled "The Wasp" (page 223), depicting a romantic scene between two characters: Alexander and Elizabeth, set in what appears to be a colonial-era Government House. Alexander, a naval officer under Commander Scovil, is departing the next morning to hunt pirates. The scene emphasizes the emotional tension of their parting through romantic, poetic language—starlight, her shining eyes, his military finery. The passage culminates in Alexander's sudden, vulnerable question asking if Elizabeth loves someone named James, suggesting romantic rivalry or conflict. Without additional context about the story's publication date and political significance, it's unclear if this represents satire of actual historical figures or events, or simply sentimental fiction typical of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ae er ree Ra Ot eRe ee ey a THE WASP 223 esa Sn Ue ee Se A ig ce A So a week went past ; and then Commander Scovil decided that it was his duty to put to sea and hunt for pirates. The sloop was to sail at daybreak. Alexander went ashore on the eve of sailing, just as the stars began to appear on the purple overhead and the white sea-fire to burn in the purple under- keel, and went up to Government House. He found Elizabeth in her own rose-garden alone. They walked the narrow, sanded paths for several min- utes in silence side by side. “We are to sail in the morning,” he said sud- denly. “My father has told me,” she replied. “We expect to be back in two weeks,” he said. She moved aside and seated herself on a bench of gray stone. He stood before her bareheaded, his cocked hat under his left arm. The star-shine touched the gold lace of his coat, the silver hilt of his sword, the buckles of his shoes. The elfin light swam in her eyes until they shone like stars. “Do you love James?” he asked, his voice very tender and unsteady. Comichooks.com