The Wasp — 1889 — page 96: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains humorous short pieces and dialogue rather than political cartoons. The content mocks various social situations: a woman letting a man kiss her, servant embarrassment, dinner-party speech failures, and romantic misadventures. Notable pieces include "A Handsome Reception" (mocking pretentious commercial salesrooms), "One of the Bonapartes" (unclear reference), and "For Those About to Marry" (satirizing marriage negotiations and dowries). The humor targets primarily Victorian-era social conventions—awkward courtships, class pretension, and marital expectations. "No Obstacle Whatever" appears to mock Western frontier attitudes and interregional prejudices. Overall, this reflects *The Wasp's* focus on satirizing contemporary manners and domestic life rather than explicit political targets, typical of late-19th-century American humor magazines.