The Wasp — 1896 — page 764: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising and directory listings** for San Francisco businesses (hotels, restaurants, saloons, printers), interspersed with two satirical cartoon vignettes. The top cartoon, titled "MISUNDERSTOOD," depicts a man confronting his wife about her affair, with the caption: "CLAY—Your wife is quite the flirt, isn't she, Montgomery?—Yes, and she hits hard, too." The joke plays on the double meaning of "hits"—social flirtation versus physical violence. The lower cartoon, titled "NYETHER" [sic], shows a woman asking a man if he'll lead her to a "tender?" He declines, and she responds "Why so?" His answer: "Because—the-cars-everybody-wants-to-break." This appears to be a dated joke about street-car courtship customs or perhaps transportation-related mishaps. Both cartoons use domestic/social situations for mild humor rather than political commentary.