The Wasp — 1896 — page 397: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising and directory listings** for San Francisco businesses, interspersed with a short satirical dialogue. The main cartoon content titled "Something Japanese: Flirting with Their Fans" depicts two figures in Japanese dress. Below it runs a dialogue where a character named St. Peter interrogates a cyclist about their earthly conduct. The "Where He Belonged" section appears to satirize the cyclist's spiritual worthiness—suggesting they were unsuitable for heaven. The joke likely plays on cycling's popularity and the stereotypical cyclist as reckless or morally questionable. The Japanese imagery references 1890s American fascination with Japanese culture. Most of the page consists of business advertisements for bicycles, legal services, insurance companies, and San Francisco merchants—reflecting the magazine's revenue model.