The Wasp — 1878 — page 467: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The main cartoon shows a figure riding what appears to be a large artillery shell or bomb labeled "DYNAMITE," with a fuse burning. This illustrates the page's lead article about "solving the great theological mystery" through "Pool with an unloaded gun"—apparently satirizing dangerous or foolish approaches to serious intellectual problems. The page itself is primarily **text-based humor and anecdotes** rather than political cartoons. The brief items mock various subjects: strawberry shortcake, a boy's smart remark about ships, lazy church-goers, and various character types. This represents *The Wasp's* typical format: a collection of short, satirical observations on everyday American social absurdities rather than focused political commentary.