The Wasp — 1890 — page 384: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page mixes society gossip with satirical commentary. The main cartoon shows a waiter instructing a husband on proper etiquette while the wife watches—the joke being that the husband needs coaching on "how the real thing is done" at an upscale restaurant. The caption mockingly suggests he should order an expensive drink (Roadster Carte Blanche) to impress his wife. The "Society" section reports on San Francisco's summer social activities—hotel hops, concerts, weddings, and visitors. It satirizes upper-class leisure activities and romantic entanglements among the wealthy. The small illustration labeled "Excessive Modesty" jokes about a woman's modesty: she covers her canary with a towel while dressing because the bird is male—absurdist humor mocking excessive propriety. This reflects the magazine's focus on mocking San Francisco's social pretensions.