The Wasp — 1890 — page 187: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains three satirical cartoons and accompanying commentary on 1880s-90s American politics and society. The top cartoon depicts "The Amateur Conjuror of Evening Party Fame," showing a magician-like figure producing a "real live oaf" from a hat—likely mocking amateur politicians or public figures attempting theatrical self-promotion. The middle section discusses Senator Blair of New Hampshire, criticizing his use of newspapers to publish accounts of prize fights and dog fights rather than speeches, suggesting he avoids substantive political discourse. The bottom cartoon, captioned "In a Whisper," shows a figure telling another "Come down, you hopeless jackass!"—context unclear but appears to mock political or social pretension. The text also references various contemporary controversies: Oakland water monopoly protests, Greek church conflicts in Pennsylvania, and Arizona mining interests interfering with railroad development.