The Wasp, 1913 · page 271 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 271: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains narrative prose rather than a cartoon. It appears to be from a serialized story in *The Wasp* magazine featuring characters named Alexander Burnham, Captain Robinson, and others aboard a ship called the *Thunderous*. The text describes a pursuit of a pirate leader, with Captain Robinson planning to capture and hang him in Boston for glory. Alexander Burnham, apparently a passenger and relative of the pirate being hunted, is emotionally devastated by the prospect. He fears his family name—the Burnhams—will suffer public disgrace and humiliation when his connection to piracy is revealed. The passage emphasizes Alexander's internal conflict: horror at the crime, shame for his family's honor, and despair about whether his wife Elizabeth can forgive him. This appears to be melodramatic fiction rather than political satire, focusing on themes of family shame and social standing rather than contemporary satirical commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
266 THE WASP then continued her voyage. She headed due east, under easy sail, until sunset, then put about. As she approached the eastern coast of St. Kitts all her lights were extinguished or covered. Lieutenant Alexander Burnham, who was now a passenger aboard the Thunderous, had been taken into Captain Robinson’s confidence earlier in the day. There was no doubt in Alexander’s mind as to the identity of the pirate whom Robinson hoped to take. “T want to get their leader alive and hang him in 2 Boston,” said Robinson, rubbing his hands briskly together. “That'll do more good than stringing him up to my. own yard-arm. Feather in my cap, too!” Alexander was sick at heart. Horror and shame, and pity for Elizabeth and himself—yes, and for James, bit him to the very core of his being. The thought of a Burnham in irons aboard the Thunder- ous, with the crest of the Burnhams on his shoulder for all the world to wonder at and jeer at, went like ice_and fire through his brain. How could Eliza- beth ever forgive him this public disgrace? How should he himself ever recover from it? How Comichooks.com