The Wasp — 1895 — page 398: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains **literary and social commentary** rather than political cartoons. The main content includes: **"The Old Maid's Diary"** — A satirical narrative about young women's social aspirations, mocking their pursuit of fashionable clothes and social status. It critiques their superficiality and vanity. **"The Day Is Done"** — A poem parodying Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's famous work, using his sentimental style to mock dining and food culture instead of grand themes. **Miscellaneous humor** — Including a joke about a bank robber and lawyer, and an advertisement for Tetley's Tea. The illustration shows a well-dressed gentleman in profile—likely representing the "waiter" or "chef" mentioned in the text. The satire targets **Victorian-era social pretension** among young women and the absurdity of applying high literary language to mundane domestic matters.