The Wasp — 1890 — page 158: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes the experience of waiting—both literally (restaurant waiters) and figuratively (people waiting for life events). The "Town Topics" section at left references a masquerade ball at the Mechanics Pavilion. The central cartoon sequence labeled "Chapter on Waiters" depicts various types of waiters and those who wait: an impatient diner, someone waiting in rain, a nervous man, and figures labeled "The Champion Waiter" and "The Most Patient Waiter." The humor derives from dual meanings—professional waiters alongside metaphorical "waiters" (people in states of anticipation or limbo). The accompanying text discusses Fred M. Somers and literary gossip about potential marriages, connecting to the broader theme of waiting for life's outcomes. The satire mocks both service industry frustrations and society's obsession with romantic rumors and social advancement.