The Wasp, 1918 · page 301 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 301: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains serialized melodramatic fiction rather than political satire or cartoons. The narrative follows characters named Willis, Kitty, and James Burnham in a domestic drama involving moral transgression. The plot concerns Kitty's anxiety over six diamonds given to her by James (apparently a romantic rival), which she experiences as burning guilt. When a knock interrupts her prayer for mercy, she fears James Burnham has arrived to expose her infidelity or compromise. Willis, her husband, answers the door to find James unexpectedly appearing—"gorgeously attired" and cordial, addressing Willis as "Bob." The passage emphasizes Kitty's internal anguish through Victorian melodramatic language ("chill like the chill of death's shadow," "shameful ruin"). The dramatic irony—Willis's obliviousness contrasting Kitty's guilty knowledge—drives the suspense. Without additional context about *The Wasp*'s publication date or this serial's arc, the specific social commentary remains unclear, though the content reflects period anxieties about wealth, fidelity, and class.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
292 | THE WASP ~ delirious glare of great riches had alike been — unknown to any Willis for two hundred years. These things he whispered to her, and many more of a like nature. They soothed her hungry, wearied little heart like strains of heavenly music. A quick step sounded upon the stairs and a loud knock rang upon the door. Kitty’s heart jumped in her side, and a chill like the chill of © _ death’s shadow went through her blood. Had James Burnham come? Was this paradise, upon the threshold of which she and her beloved” stood, to be shattered from her hands and ee in shameful ruin ? The six diamonds which Tine had given — her seemed to burn into the flesh of her breast like bits of red-hot iron. There in the soft dark she covered her face with her hands and breathed ~ a frenzied prayer for mercy. Willis opened the door, all unconscious of J his wife’s agony of apprehension. On the thres- hold stood James Burnham, gorgeously attired, © - with one of the servants of the inn at his elbow holding two candles in silver sticks. He bowed and extended his hand to eae surgeon. Willis” took it. ~ ee ““T have only now hoa of your happiness, Bob,” said James. “I am. sailing tome nase uuicncoks