The Wasp, 1918 · page 198 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 198: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be from a serialized narrative rather than a satirical cartoon or political commentary. It's prose fiction describing a conversation aboard a ship called the *Tartar*. The text follows Alexander Burnham as he questions Mr. Willis, a young surgeon, about Alexander's brother James. Willis praises James extensively—describing his heroic rescue of a girl, his kind character after recovering from illness, and his "delicate attitude" toward someone named Elizabeth Nash. Willis also recounts a duel involving James, whose cause he doesn't understand. The passage emphasizes Willis's obvious admiration for James, which both reassures Alexander (soothing his family pride) and suggests Willis may harbor romantic feelings for Elizabeth Nash himself. **This is serialized fiction, not satire.** Without seeing accompanying illustrations or advertisements, the satirical intent—if any—remains unclear.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP - 189 He could not bring himself to believe this of Sir Walter, for the baronet was as just as he was - hard. Alexander was sorely puzzled. Mr. Willis came aboard the Tartar later in the day, dined with the officers in the narrow, low-roofed apartment which served as both ward-room and gun-room, and afterward sat on the tiny quarter-deck with Alexander Burnham and talked about James Burnham. Alexander was careful not to show anything more than a brotherly anxiety in his questions. But few questions were required to start Willis and to keep him talking. That he admired James Burnham was evident to the other and soothed Alexander’s strong family pride. Willis told of the arrival of James out of the unknown, fainting but heroic and victorious, with the rescued girl in his arms and the misguided New Englanders at his heels. He talked of James as he had known him after his days of illness—always ready to help others, always polite and cheerful. He touched lightly on his charming, devotional, yet delicate attitude toward Elizabeth Nash. He described the duel, the cause of which he did not know. He des- cribed it at length, in glowing terms. It was very evident that the young surgeon admired : comichbooks.com