The Wasp — 1895 — page 185: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising** for San Francisco businesses, with one cartoon at the top titled "Roadside Conference." The cartoon depicts a **gentleman on horseback** (wearing a top hat) speaking to a **cyclist** on a bicycle. The caption reads: "She—How is your friend Mr. Wheeler getting along since he bought a bicycle? He—On crutches, I believe." This is a **pun-based joke** playing on the surname "Wheeler" and the word "wheels" (bicycles). The humor suggests that Mr. Wheeler has injured himself since taking up cycling—a new, relatively dangerous sport in the late 1800s/early 1900s when bicycles were still novelties. The joke mocks bicycle safety hazards and perhaps the awkwardness of learning to ride. The remainder of the page contains advertisements for shoes, wine, uniforms, carriages, and hotels.