The Wasp — 1878 — page 209: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The page is primarily a humor/joke column titled "The Very Freshest American Humor" featuring brief satirical quips rather than a political cartoon. The illustrated header shows a figure riding what appears to be a large wheel or circular object labeled "OUT OF PROPORTION." The jokes mock various American social conditions: excessive advertising, ignorance (a man striking his wife named Mary), disease (yellow fever in South America), and class disparities (wealthy people hiring servants). Several items target racial attitudes of the era—references to Chinese laborers and dismissive commentary about African Americans in Alabama. The "Rushing the Boy" section satirizes workplace exploitation, depicting a boy pressured to work excessively while messengers claim they have "no leisure" for lunch. Overall, the page critiques American materialism, labor abuses, and social prejudices through brief comedic observations rather than sustained political allegory.