The Wasp — 1895 — page 690: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains three distinct sections: **Left column ("Our Story"):** A sentimental dialogue between a man and woman about ending their summer romance. The man claims earnestness wasn't compatible with summer flirtation, attempting to justify the breakup philosophically. The satire appears to mock romantic pretense and male excuses for abandoning relationships. **Center:** A sequential comic titled "A Tale from Darkest Africa" showing a hunter pursuing a lion through increasingly comedic panels. The joke's specifics are unclear, though it appears to ridicule either colonial African adventure narratives or exaggerated hunter mythology popular in period literature. **Right column:** Period advertisements for Swan Gin, Pepsin chewing gum, and other products—typical commercial content filling magazine pages. The overall tone suggests satire of romantic sentimentality and possibly imperialist adventure narratives.