The Wasp, 1918 · page 190 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 190: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This appears to be a narrative passage from a serialized story in *The Wasp*, a satirical American magazine, rather than a political cartoon. The scene depicts a confrontation between **Captain Trimmer** (an authoritarian ship captain) and **Slim Sam** (his first mate), with an unnamed crew member present. The passage illustrates a power struggle: Trimmer, initially enraged at being questioned about his absolute authority, is gradually persuaded by Sam's whispered reasoning to enforce discipline fairly—to apply rules equally rather than exercise arbitrary power. Trimmer's final capitulation ("Let it be so!") suggests Sam has convinced him that consistent rule-enforcement (even when inconvenient) serves the ship better than authoritarian caprice. The satirical point appears to target tyrannical leadership and the virtue of principled governance over unchecked personal power—relevant themes for American audiences of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP “181 Slim Sam, rustily garbed and apparently “unarmed, approached him with a conciliating smile on his narrow face and a humble stoop to his thin shoulders. He whispered a few words. Trimmer listened, still-glaring. The first mate whispered again, this time at considerable length. Captain Trimmer snorted ; he gnawed his lip ; he swore. 7 “What is this?” he cried suddenly. “Am I not your captain? Is it not in my power to break rules as well as to make them? Put her ashore, d’ye say ? Who won ye free from death on the plantations? Who put gold into yer _ dirty pocket for ye? ‘Tell me that!” His square, coarse face was convulsed with rage. Rage gripped his throat until his voice stuck in it with a gasping gurgle. He brandished his pistols. But the whispering voice of Slim Sam went on at his ear. He choked. He lowered his pistols and listened again. ** Let it be so!” he cried at last. ‘“‘I stand by the rules ; but ye white-livered spawn of the gutter, I’ve learned my lesson! One 0’ ye broke a tule yesterday ; but because we are. short- yeded Isparedhim. The like will never happen again.” : The schooner’s course was changed ; ; and, comichooks.com