The Wasp — 1896 — page 551: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising** for San Francisco businesses (The Cyclery, removal sales, photo-engraving, champagne, and a hotel). The main cartoon, titled "RIVALS," depicts a woman in fashionable dress standing between two men—one seated on the left, one standing on the right. The dialogue suggests a marriage proposal scenario: one man hasn't signed a pledge (presumably to abstain from drinking), creating hesitation about marriage. The satire appears to target **temperance concerns** of the era—the cartoon jokes about whether a suitor's drinking habits should disqualify him from matrimony. This reflects late-19th/early-20th-century debates over alcohol consumption and marriage suitability, particularly relevant to women's choices in partners. The cartoon's tone is lighthearted rather than preachy.