The Wasp — 1895 — page 437: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **business directory and advertising** for San Francisco establishments, interspersed with two satirical illustrations. The upper cartoon ("Wanted Plenty of Room") depicts figures on a crowded street, likely satirizing urban congestion or housing shortages in San Francisco. The lower cartoon, titled "The Unkindest Cut of All," shows a man and woman in what appears to be a social encounter, with dialogue about being pleased to see someone again after four years, then suggesting the person should have "known that anywhere." This likely satirizes **social awkwardness or infidelity**—the humor derives from the woman's cutting remark implying the man's unfaithfulness or unwanted familiarity. Both cartoons use Victorian-era illustration style typical of 1880s-1890s satirical magazines, commenting on everyday social and urban situations rather than specific political events.