The Wasp — 1896 — page 825: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising** for San Francisco businesses—banks, shipping companies, printing firms, laundries, and various manufacturers from the late 19th or early 20th century. However, there are **two small cartoon vignettes** titled "MORE FEMININE AMENITIES" depicting women in domestic scenes. The captions suggest gentle, satirical humor about gender roles: - Upper cartoon: A woman asks if a man would "like a nice hole, Maddie" for his shoe, implying criticism of men's appearance or maintenance. - Lower cartoon ("WAS NEARER THE WORK"): Shows a woman and child, with dialogue suggesting women do more housework than men. These sketches mock traditional gender dynamics—women bearing household labor while men remain less involved—a common satirical theme in period publications critiquing domestic inequality. The humor relies on readers recognizing familiar marital/domestic tension.