The Wasp, 1918 · page 89 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 89: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **prose narrative text, not a cartoon**. It appears to be from a serialized story in *The Wasp* magazine. The passage describes a scheming character (named Burnham) calculating how to exploit his advantageous position. He's a man of poor reputation and empty pockets in England who has somehow gained the trust of a colonial governor and his daughter. Recognizing this opportunity, he plans to manipulate their gratitude before unfavorable reports about him can arrive from England—giving him approximately three months before communication exposes his true character. The satire is social rather than visual: it mocks opportunistic fortune-seekers who exploit kindness and isolation (likely relevant to colonial settings where news traveled slowly). The character's cold calculation of others' emotions as "trump-cards" critiques mercenary behavior masked by charm. Without seeing the publication date or identifying Burnham, the specific political context remains unclear.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ON THE WASP brain. They were vague at first, but as he recovered strength he recovered self-assurance. Surely something was to be made, he reflected, of this very favourable situation in which chance had placed him. Chance had done well for him, he admitted, but he saw that he could not leave his future entirely in the swift yet fumbling hands of that hysterical goddess. He studied the situation coolly, weighing and pondering in turn the adverse and the favourable conditions. Against him were his empty pockets, his absolute lack of expectations, his hopeless. estrangement from his family, and his shady reputation in England. For him, like high trump-cards in an otherwise hopeless hand, were the governor and the governor’s daughter— the grateful and generous old sailor, the grateful” and romantic young woman. He had won their gratitude and respect. Very well, then. He must make the most of this unfortunate state of affairs while it lasted— in other words, before any communication - concerning him could reach the governor | from England. ee. ; Burnham calculated that he would have three months, and perhaps more, of security and con- icomicbooksrco