The Wasp, 1918 · page 103 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 103: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This appears to be prose fiction rather than a cartoon. The passage depicts officers gossiping about romantic entanglements involving a woman named Kitty Trimmer and a man named Percy Stanton, apparently in a colonial military setting (references to a "senior major" and servants "of all colours and shades" suggest India). The satire targets romantic pretension: young officers bet that Kitty will marry Stanton despite her lack of fortune. When Burnham excuses himself with exaggerated civility, the officers immediately suspect him—they note his "queer" eyes and recognize him as a Berkshire Burnham with ulterior designs on "the girl." The humor lies in the transparent self-interest beneath polite military society: everyone claims innocence while clearly maneuvering for advantage. Burnham's "exultant smile" confirms their suspicions instantly.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
94 - THE WASP “Not yet, though I am willing to bet two to ~ one, in guineas, that she will be Mrs. Percy Stanton. before we ever get back to England,” replied the youth who had spoken before. “In the meantime she is Mistress Kitty Trimmer, lady- companion to the wife of our senior major. She is a beauty, sir, a beauty ean not worth a penny, I hear.” “Very romantic, I’m sure,” said Burnham pleasantly. “Iam glad to hear that Mr. Stanton can afford to be romantic. And now, gentle- men, if you will be so kind as to excuse me, Pll go and look-after the disabled lover. If you Awant anything, shout for it. Someone will be sure to hear you, for the place is overrun with servants of all colours and shades.” Burnham hurried towards the house ak an exultant smile upon his face. “Very civil fellow,’’ bloods to the other. “Yes; but there is something deuced queer about his eyes,” replied the other. “I’d be sorry to get into an argument with him, stap me if I wouldn't! One of the Berkshire Burn- | hams, so old Nash tells me. He’s oe: his ace a eyes on the girl, that’s my opinion.” : 4 Burnham found Stanton sitting up on the said one of the young’ lcomicbooks:con §