The Wasp — 1896 — page 978: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains primarily **literary content and social commentary** rather than political cartoons. The main feature is "The Old Maid's Diary" by Tarissa Twiggs, which satirizes **women's mistreatment by other women**—specifically how married women and society gossips made single women's lives miserable through spreading rumors and cruel behavior. The accompanying sketches illustrate female social types and costume designs. Other pieces include fortune-telling satire, poetry about love and music, and anecdotes about social dynamics. The overall theme critiques **female social cruelty and hypocrisy**, particularly how women enforced restrictive social codes against each other, rather than targeting specific political figures or events. This reflects early 20th-century feminist critique of patriarchal social structures.