The Wasp — 1888 — page 356: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page comprises primarily **short humor pieces and witticisms** rather than political cartoons. The illustrated section titled "WASPLETS" shows a cartoon wasp character and collects brief, punchy jokes on topics like job interviews, names, and social observations. The longer text sections ("Welch Rare-Bits," "Why Will They?") are conversational anecdotes and satirical commentary on everyday absurdities—courtship, business dealings, drunkenness, and marital disputes. One piece mocks the "Langtry bustle" (likely referencing actress Lillie Langtry's fashion influence). The satire targets **ordinary social pretension and human folly** rather than specific political figures. The humor relies on wordplay and domestic/social ironies typical of late-19th-century American magazine satire.