The Wasp, 1918 · page 106 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 106: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains narrative prose rather than a cartoon—it's a serialized story depicting a confrontation between two characters: an older woman (apparently of respectable social standing, being an archdeacon's daughter) and Percy Stanton, a military ensign. The scene satirizes Victorian social hypocrisy and class anxiety. The woman is outraged that her involvement in some scheme with Stanton has been exposed through "Kitty's note." She's concerned that a gentleman at Government House—an official colonial administrator—has recognized Kitty, threatening to expose their arrangement and ruin her reputation. Stanton's insulting response ("old harridan") suggests this involves financial manipulation or blackmail on her part. The satire targets the desperation of respectable but financially strapped middle-class women who compromise their principles, and the callousness of men like Stanton who exploit them. The setting appears to be a British colonial island, suggesting this is likely Australian or similar colonial context for *The Wasp*.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 97 manner with Percy Stanton was one of playful auntly affection ; but just now she was far too ' deeply agitated to take the trouble to be either playful or affectionate. She grasped him by “the arm. : “What’s all this?” she exclaimed. “ A nice position you have put me in—me, a decent woman and the daughter of an archdeacon! Did you get Kitty’s note? What do you intend to do about it?” Stanton stuck out his chest and frowned, He was not to be browbeaten by this grasping old woman, at any rate. | “¢ What are you talking about ? ” he demanded. ** Talking about!’’ shrilled the lady. ‘* Enough, in truth, to set this whole island agog! Enough to cause my venerable father to turn over in his grave! Oh, I was a fool to have anything to do with your low dissembling. Kitty—your young woman—has heard that a gentleman at Government House is an old acquaintance of hers. Now the cat is out of the bag with a vengeance, and I am in everlasting disgrace.” “You have been handsomely paid for what- ever risk you have taken,” retorted the ensign with a sneer. ‘* You have bled me, and that’s the truth, you old harridan, stap me else. As comichooks.com