The Wasp — 1889 — page 192: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is predominantly **advertisements** (Pacific Bank, Epps's Cocoa, sewing machines, theatrical listings) with one substantial **poem** titled "The Picket Guard" by Yonkers Statesman. The poem appears to be a **Civil War-era piece** depicting a Union soldier on night watch along the Potomac River. It romanticizes the soldier's loneliness and duty, contrasting quiet nights with sudden danger ("Hark! was it the night wind that rustled the leaves?"). The final stanza emphasizes sacrifice: "The picket's of duty forever!" This is **not satirical commentary** but rather patriotic verse celebrating military service—common in American publications during or shortly after the Civil War. The poem's inclusion among advertisements suggests *The Wasp* published mixed content beyond pure satire.