The Wasp — 1896 — page 540: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **literary fiction and advertising** rather than political satire. The main story, "A Beautiful Woman," features dialogue between characters discussing female beauty standards. A doctor and "Bobby McGregor" debate whether a woman named Mrs. Cortier is truly beautiful, with the doctor arguing that objective physical features (teeth, skin, hands, eyes, lips, hair, waist, fingers) determine beauty—not subjective charm. The accompanying illustrations show Mrs. Cortier in her drawing room with a male visitor, depicting a social scene of apparent courtship or social interaction. The page also contains period advertisements for Peruvian Bitters, Old Bourbon Whisky, Adams' Pepsin Chewing Gum, and insurance companies—typical commercial content for late-19th century magazines.