The Wasp, 1918 · page 236 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 236: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **serialized fiction rather than satirical cartoons**—it's a romantic narrative involving naval characters named Alexander Burnham and Elizabeth. The text describes Alexander's decision to resign from the navy to marry Elizabeth and settle on his Berkshire property, rather than continue pursuing his pirate-hunting duties (which apparently involve capturing his own brother). The "satire" here, if any exists, appears subtle: Elizabeth's prioritization of personal romance over "glory and the needs of her country" might be gentle social commentary on women's limited choices and conflicting loyalties in period society. However, **without seeing accompanying illustrations or knowing the broader serialized story context, the satirical point remains unclear**. This appears to be standard popular fiction serialization that *The Wasp* published alongside its political cartoons.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 224 down ‘to her own and kissed him on the brow, the eyes, and the lips. The letter was not burned, but was torn into tiny fragments and buried deep in the warm garden-loam at the roots of a rose-bush. As Elizabeth still loved him, and was now more anxious to marry him than ever, Alexander Burnham decided that his best plan was to retire from the navy. He possessed a snug property in Berkshire that had come to him from his maternal grandmother. He felt that he owed this step to Elizabeth ; and, for his own part, his ardour for pirate-hunting had cooled. He did not relish the prospect of capturing his brother and swinging him from a yard-arm by the neck. Elizabeth urged him to carry out this plan without delay. She wanted to have her lover safe in England. Glory and the needs of her country seemed small things to her now. Alexander talked to Scovil, and at last suc- ceeded in bringing the commander around to his way of looking at the matter; so he wrote his resignation and gave it to Scovil to be for- warded, and continued on sick leave until he - should receive an answer from the admiralty office. ae Elizabeth hurried matters, for she was afraid comichooks.com