The Wasp — 1895 — page 938: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is the cover and opening cartoon of a satirical weekly magazine. The masthead identifies *The Wasp* as "the oldest colored-print cartoon paper in America," established 1876, with the largest circulation on the Pacific Coast. The interior cartoon, titled "Making Sure of Him," depicts two figures in an interior setting—a woman showing a man a document (likely an engagement ring). The accompanying dialogue jokes about engagement ring sizing: the woman notes the ring doesn't fit well and suggests making it smaller, while the man quips that an engagement ring should fit around the neck instead. This appears to be a humorous commentary on courtship rituals and matrimonial concerns of the 1890s, using double entendre about rings and commitment.