The Wasp, 1913 · page 92 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 92: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This appears to be a **serialized fiction narrative** rather than a cartoon or satire piece. The page depicts a dramatic scene in which a bedridden man named Burnham regains consciousness after an apparent accident or attack. Captain Nash informs him that the governor's daughter has safely recovered from an incident involving a villain named Smith, and that Burnham had heroically intervened. The tension centers on **mistaken or concealed identity**: Burnham closes his eyes to "veil his thoughts," suggesting he's strategically hiding something from Nash. The phrase "my dear sir" seems to carry significance—possibly indicating Nash's tone has shifted, or Burnham is gauging whether Nash suspects deception. Without additional context about the publication's date or this story's arc, the specific satirical target remains **unclear**. The narrative resembles Victorian-era melodrama conventions, but whether it's genuinely fictional entertainment or parody of such conventions cannot be determined from this page alone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
See ee NES Te THE WASP 89 SEA a Sa its explosive coloring, and the eyes had altered in expression until they were almost tender. Burn- -ham gazed up blankly at the two faces for a few seconds, then suddenly remembered all. “Thank God you’ve come around!” exclaimed Captain Nash. “I was beginning to fear that you had slipped away from us, my dear sir.” My dear sir! That sounded very pleasant and promising to the man on the bed. His brain be- came clear, and he thought swiftly. He lowered his lids, as if in the extremity of weakness and weariness; but in reality he distrusted his eyes and closed them to veil his thoughts. They were still closed when he asked, in a feeble voice, if the governor’s daughter had escaped serious harm. “She is recovering her strength and composure splendidly,” replied Captain Nash. “She suffered no serious injury, either from her accident or the attack of that rogue Smith, thanks to you. She tells me that you named yourself to her as Burn- ham. Is this so?” | “Tt is my name,’’ answered the other slowly and Comichooks.com