The Wasp — 1896 — page 539: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains **"The Old Maid's Diary,"** a satirical column by Tamper Twiggs discussing California actresses and stage life. The main illustration shows a fashionably dressed young woman, captioned as depicting "a starry young woman with a lot of goldening hair hangin'." The satire targets actresses' reputations and kissing scenes on stage. The column argues that stage kisses are purely mechanical theatrical acts, not genuine intimacy, defending actresses against moral judgment. It critiques how actresses are judged more harshly than male actors for the same behavior, referencing specific Bay Area performers. The piece also mocks society gossip columns that scrutinize famous women's private lives while the page includes advertisements for beauty products and champagne, reflecting turn-of-century California commercial culture.