The Wasp — 1896 — page 155: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The main illustration shows a well-dressed woman at a doorway, likely departing a social event. The accompanying text discusses San Francisco's high society, mentioning specific individuals like Joseph Crockett and Prince Joullin of Hohenstein attending a masquerade ball during Lent. The satire targets San Francisco's elite for their ostentatious displays and moral contradictions—holding lavish social events during Lent, a Christian period of restraint. The text criticizes society reporters for overlooking such hypocrisy while focusing on costumes and attendance rather than substance. Additional pieces mock a hotel's treatment of women staff and absurdities in city administration. The overall tone is sardonic commentary on San Francisco's privileged class and their selective morality.