The Wasp — 1890 — page 327: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The left cartoon shows two figures in what appears to be a camping scene. The text describes a conversation between a guest and host at a country retreat, where the guest complains about discomforts—muddy streets, wet conditions, and poor accommodations. The host defends the location, saying customers "expect" fresh air. The second story, "He Fooled the Smoke," describes camping disasters involving smoke management, featuring a Chinese camp servant named "Tom Wing." The humor appears to derive from period stereotypes and slapstick camping mishaps. Both pieces mock genteel San Francisco residents attempting rustic retreats, satirizing their complaints and the absurd solutions to camping problems. The satire targets bourgeois pretensions about "roughing it."