The Wasp, 1918 · page 116 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 116: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **no cartoon or satire**—it's prose fiction from a serialized narrative appearing in *The Wasp* magazine. The text describes a melodramatic plot involving colonial Caribbean society (set on the island of Nevis). Key elements include: - **Kitty**: a woman romantically entangled with multiple suitors (Stanton, Mr. Willis, James Burnham) - **Captain Sterling**: a wealthy planter who unknowingly funded a shipment of convicts from Newgate Prison - **John Trimmer**: a convict who led a mutiny, killed the ship's officers, and took command—now secretly courting Sterling's sister The passage reveals that Sterling's mysterious missing cargo was actually freed/commandeered by the mutineers. The dramatic irony is that Sterling now unknowingly socializes with the man responsible for his lost investment. This appears to be adventure/romance serialization rather than satirical commentary on current events.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 107 held things as they were by means of devotional silences. I do not think that Elizabeth was in any hurry to have him declare himself. Kitty now felt no warmer emotion for James Burnham than fear. She liked and admired Mr. Willis; but she remained faithful to Stan- ton, though she flirted outrageously with all her admirers. I have mentioned Captain Sterling, the wealthy planter. It was he who, months before, had purchased a brig-load of jail-birds from historic Newgate ; but the brig had never come to port in Nevis, and her fate was a mystery to the worthy planter. The truth of the matter is that, three weeks out from the Thames, John Trimmer had freed © himself from his irons by heroic efforts, had then freed his desperate companions, had led them up from the stinking hold, overpowered and slaughtered the officers and crew, and taken command of the ship. That is what John Trim- mer had done; and now, whenever he was not. wondering about the fate of his cargo of jail- birds, Captain Sterling was dancing attendance on John Trimmer’s sister. ~ Three weeks after the arrival of the frigate in Nevis, while the society of the little island comichooks.com