The Wasp, 1913 · page 340 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 340: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains prose fiction rather than visual cartoons. It appears to be a narrative excerpt (marked "XX," suggesting it's from a serialized story) depicting what seems to be a character transformation or disappearance. The text describes Mr. James Fitzwalter—a bookish, modest gentleman—departing his lodgings. Simultaneously, a "distinguished-looking stranger" vanishes from fashionable coffeehouses, and a bearded mariner disappears from the Spotted Dog tavern. The passage suggests these may be the same person assuming different identities or personas. The satire appears to mock a life of vice and moral corruption. James, despite acquiring wealth ("pockets full of gold"), discovers that money cannot purchase genuine satisfaction or redemption from a life spent in "vileness" and "wickedness." The final lines deliver a moralistic message—that material wealth is hollow without ethical substance—which aligns with typical 19th-century satirical commentary on greed, hypocrisy, and urban social decay. Without additional context about the publication date or authorship, the specific target remains unclear.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
XX f R. JAMES FITZWALTER, the bookish, middle-aged gentleman of the scratch- wig, humped shoulders, and decent blue coat, paid his bill and left his lodgings. He de- parted with his leather bag in his hand and two porters following with his boxes, and never again was he seen by his landlady, nor by the little maid who had served his simple meals to him and blacked his square-toed shoes. At the same time, in another quarter of the town, < a distinguished-looking stranger was missed from the foppish companies of certain fashionable coffee- houses; and the Spotted Dog saw no more a par- ticular bearded mariner who had become famous in that infamous retreat for his silver-lined pocket, his silent tongue, and his formidable bye. James was tired of life. He had known little in life save vileness, and of that he was now heart- ily sick. Wickedness had grown monotonous to him, Now that his pockets were full of gold, he knew how little is to be bought with it. 333 Comichooks.com