The Wasp — 1896 — page 1060: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is primarily a **title/cover page** for *The Wasp*, "The Illustrated Weekly of the Pacific Coast," dated December 19th. It advertises a special "Christmas Wasp" issue focused on San Francisco. The main cartoon, titled "A Choice of Luxuries," depicts a man being confronted by a woman holding a letter. The caption presents dialogue about choosing between giving up smoking or going broke on tobacco. The humor appears to satirize **masculine addiction to smoking** and the financial/domestic conflict this created—a common theme in early 20th-century humor about men's vices. The illustration reflects period attitudes about gender dynamics and consumer habits rather than specific political commentary. The page also promotes "Frisco Physical Culture Illustrated," suggesting the issue contained fitness-related content.