The Wasp — 1890 — page 274: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains gossip and social commentary rather than political cartoons. The main illustrated anecdote describes a streetcar incident where a gentleman pulls the signal strap to stop the car, then rings the bell at both ends of the platform—apparently to attract the conductor's attention for an unspecified reason. The humor derives from the gentleman's excessive and confusing behavior. When asked why he did it, he explains he wanted the car to stop, but his method (pulling both bells) was counterintuitive and absurd. The page also covers social announcements, including engagements of notable figures like Joseph Kemp Toole and discussion of upcoming summer entertainment and literary works, reflecting upper-class Washington society gossip typical of the era's satirical press.