The Wasp — 1895 — page 77: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising** for San Francisco businesses—banks, insurance companies, breweries, and manufacturers. The main cartoon appears in the center-upper portion. The cartoon titled "WISE IN HIS GENERATION" depicts two well-dressed men in conversation. The dialogue below indicates a social satire about marriage and financial pragmatism: one man asks another about marrying "Miss Rosy" for her money, while the other responds cynically about extracting money from a wife. The humor targets **mercenary attitudes toward marriage** among the wealthy—suggesting that calculating men pursue women primarily for financial gain rather than love. This reflects late-19th-century satirical commentary on class and matrimonial ethics among San Francisco's business elite. The cartoon's title suggests the man's mercenary approach is "wise" in materialistic society, offering ironic social criticism.