The Wasp — 1896 — page 325: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising and business directory** for San Francisco, with one small cartoon titled "A Star's Resources" depicting two well-dressed men in conversation. The cartoon appears to satirize **wealth and social climbing**. One figure (labeled "Leading Man") discusses raising funds to leave town, claiming a failed romance. The dialogue reveals he managed to stay in San Francisco nearly as long in Frisco as he could have in Pisco (likely a smaller town), suggesting he exhausted his financial resources there. The satire mocks the transient nature of theatrical performers and their financial irresponsibility—a "star's resources" being their ability to charm money from others rather than earn it legitimately. This reflects period attitudes toward theatrical folk as unreliable drifters.