The Wasp, 1918 · page 232 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 232: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This appears to be a dramatic literary excerpt rather than a political cartoon. The text depicts a scene aboard a naval vessel (*Sloop-of-War Tartar*) where Commander Scovil delivers a sealed packet to Lieutenant Alexander Burnham. The letter's contents provoke an extreme emotional reaction—Burnham becomes pale, his jaw sags, and he appears traumatized or in shock. Without seeing accompanying illustrations or knowing the full narrative context, the specific satirical target remains unclear. However, *The Wasp* was a San Francisco satirical magazine known for mocking politicians and public figures. This excerpt may be part of a serialized story satirizing naval officers, military hierarchy, or a particular scandal. The dramatic revelation suggests the letter contains damning or shocking information about Burnham, but the precise political or social reference cannot be determined from this page alone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP , 223 and shaking. “To me, sir? What can that mean? Let me have it!” Scovil produced a small, crumpled packet from -aninner pocket. He held it in his hand, and the other read the following inscription on the face of it : To Alexander Burnham, Esq., Royal Navy, Sloop-of-War Tariar. Scovil turned the packet over, and Alexander beheld the Burnham arms stamped on the back of it in several places in red wax. ‘Then the commander passed the letter over to his senior lieutenant, turned his back, and looked out of the little port at a patch of glistening sea. Scovil heard the breaking of the dry wax, the rustling of paper. He heard a faint groan and again the rustling of the paper. Silence followed. He continued to stand and look out at the patch of glistening sea for fully ten minutes ; then he spoke, without turning. __ *“* Anything important, Alexander? ” he asked in a pinched voice. He got no answer to the question ; so he turned - slowly and beheld Burnham leaning heavily against the closed door. The lieutenant’s eyes stared straight ahead, wide and unseeing. His face was colourless as death; his lower jaw sagged, comicbooks.com