The Wasp — 1895 — page 396: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a bicycle instructor and student in an awkward situation. The caption shows the student (Miss Blummer) pleading "Oh—or—Professor! Don't let go of me!" while the professor responds, "Betcher sweet life, Miss; that's the last thing I'm thinking about." The humor relies on the double entendre: while ostensibly about learning to ride a bicycle, the professor's response suggests romantic or improper intentions rather than instructional focus. The background shows other cyclists and a "Lessons" sign, establishing the setting. This likely satirizes late-19th-century anxieties about the "New Woman"—the bicycle represented female independence and mobility, which conservative society found morally questionable. The cartoon jokes about the social awkwardness and potential impropriety of unmarried men and women in close physical contact during these lessons.