The Wasp — 1889 — page 161: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts what appears to be a social farewell scene. The caption reads: "Sassiety: Good-bye, Mr. President, bah Jove! Sorry to lose—your wife, doubtless know." The cartoon shows two well-dressed men in conversation, with a smaller figure (possibly a child or servant) between them holding what appears to be a ladder or frame. A woman observes from a doorway in the background. The humor appears to satirize high society's reaction to a presidential departure, with the punchline suggesting the speaker is more regretful about losing the president's wife than the president himself—a commentary on either infidelity, social climbing, or the relative value placed on different members of prominent families. The specific president referenced is unclear without additional context.