The Wasp — 1896 — page 939: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page combines editorial content with advertisements. The left side features two satirical cartoons and a poem titled "A Timely Question" by "The Sinner." The cartoons illustrate scenarios mocking religious hypocrisy—depicting clergy in compromising situations that contradict their public moral authority. "In the Land of the Fig Leaf" shows a prisoner's escape, while "A Careful Witness" presents a dialogue about a stranger. The accompanying verse sarcastically questions whether churches would maintain their moral standards if confronted with actual worldly temptations rather than merely preaching against them. The right side is primarily **advertising**—featuring local San Francisco businesses including Monte Rouge wines, Sperry flour, John Wieland's lager beer, typewriters, and various commercial services typical of 1880s-era California business directories.