The Wasp, 1918 · page 282 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 282: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be from a serialized fictional narrative rather than a political cartoon. It describes a character—identified as both "Mr. Fitzwalter" and "James Burnham"—who is disguising himself through clothing changes and physical alterations (removing a black eye patch and artificial hump). The character visits a tailor and wig-maker, paying generously in gold, to acquire fashionable clothing "that would have done credit to the greatest dandy at the court of the new queen." He alternates between two personas: one poorly dressed with a patch and hump, another well-dressed in fine silks. Without seeing illustrations or knowing *The Wasp*'s publication date and political context, the satirical target remains unclear. The "new queen" reference suggests 19th-century publication, but the specific social or political commentary this dual-identity narrative intended—whether mocking aristocratic pretension, criminal deception, or something else—cannot be determined from text alone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
| THE WASP S 275 clothed himself in silk and linen from the larger of his two boxes, and removed the black patch . from his ‘left eye. His garments were rich in material, but not of the latest cut. He trans- ferred some gold from the leather bag to his pockets, hid the bag, the artifical hump, and the black patch between the mattresses of his bed, then went out, locking the doors behind him. He went in his own hair, leaving his scratch- wig in his bedroom. At his side he wore a long, silver-hilted sword. He went straight toa tailor’s shop, and, after a deal of thumping on a side door, brought the master of the establishment to an upper window. At last the tailor consented to come down aad admit the belated customer ; and Mr. Fitzwalter —or James Burnham, if you like—was measured for a complete outfit of clothing that would have done credit to the greatest dandy at the court of the new queen.. _ James threw several gold pieces on the counter _and told the man to ply his needle diligently. Next he visited a wig-maker and furnished himself - with the latest thing in wigs to be had in town. | Next day James kept to his lodgings, heavy- shouldered, decently but somewhat poorly clothed : and with a_patch over one eye. He smoked his commicibooks.com