The Wasp — 1896 — page 409: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising and business directory** for San Francisco, with one satirical cartoon titled "A Warning to Servants." The cartoon depicts a figure (appears to be a servant) in an unusual posture near a window or doorway, seemingly having fallen or gotten stuck. The accompanying verse warns servants against the dangers of cathode ray experimentation: "Since the discovery of the cathode ray makes eavesdropping a dangerous pastime, / servants wishing to hold their jobs are warned against running any risks." The satire appears to mock servant misconduct (eavesdropping) while humorously attributing dangerous consequences to newfangled technology. The humor relies on the period's fascination and anxiety about recent scientific discoveries like cathode rays, turning a cautionary tale about workplace behavior into a comedic warning about technological hazards.