The Wasp — 1896 — page 964: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page from *The Wasp* (San Francisco's illustrated weekly) features a satirical cartoon titled "After the Masquerade Ball." Two women are depicted in a confrontation over a costume prize. Mrs. McShort accuses Maria Van Long of wearing her costume to a masquerade ball, while Van Long denies it. The humor relies on a social embarrassment scenario typical of period satire—the accusation that someone plagiarized another's costume at a formal event. The dialogue suggests a petty dispute between society women about fashion and social credit. The page also advertises Senator Mulrooney's "Interesting Letters" about San Francisco politics and statesmen, indicating *The Wasp's* focus on local political satire alongside social commentary.