The Wasp — 1890 — page 380: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page from *The Wasp* contains a satirical dialogue cartoon titled "A Noble Brother" depicting two men in what appears to be a narrow street or alley. The exchange mocks someone's claimed ignorance of their own age—a father figure insists a younger man "surely know[s] your age," to which the youth responds evasively that he "maybe" doesn't know. The satire appears to target political or social pretense: someone in power feigning ignorance about basic facts (possibly age, qualifications, or knowledge) when convenient. The cartoon accompanies Washington gossip items about congressional figures, public works projects, and social events, suggesting the "noble brother" represents a specific politician or public figure whose evasiveness on simple matters was considered laughably absurd or dishonest.