The Wasp — 1896 — page 293: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The main cartoon depicts an elderly woman in dark clothing confronting a young man outside a "Ladies' Dressing Rooms." The caption reads: "Look out, young man! You'll get yourself into trouble if you go in there! Can't you read that sign?" The satire appears to target absent-mindedness or the obliviousness of modern youth—the woman warns him he's about to enter a ladies-only space, suggesting he wasn't paying attention to clearly marked signage. This reflects early 20th-century concerns about gender-segregated public spaces and decorum. The page is primarily advertisements for champagne, clothing, hotels, bicycles, and ammunition, typical of *The Wasp's* satirical-advertisement format. The cartoon's humor relies on physical comedy and social propriety norms now largely obsolete.