The Wasp — 1896 — page 406: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page from the satirical magazine **The Wasp** contains a serialized story titled "Three of a Kind" about actress Dorabella Van Hopper, alongside period advertisements. The narrative satirizes Dorabella's shameless self-promotion and romantic entanglements in New York theatrical circles. The illustrations depict her manipulating various suitors—including wealthy men and theatrical figures—through calculated charm and strategic positioning. The satire mocks both her brazen social climbing and her suitors' gullibility. The story emphasizes her "ingenious ways of advertising herself," suggesting contemporary criticism of theatrical celebrities who courted publicity through manufactured scandals and strategic relationships. The page's right side features vintage advertisements (Peruvian Bitters, Old Bourbon whiskey, chewing gum), typical of early 20th-century magazine commerce.