The Wasp — 1890 — page 408: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising and directory listings** for hotels and establishments on the Pacific Coast, with a small satirical section titled "Jokelettes!!!" The cartoon at top shows four figures in Victorian dress with the caption "The big cannon has a 'speaking countenance.'" Below are brief joke exchanges about romance and domestic life—typical turn-of-the-century humor with no specific political targets. The "Jokelettes" section contains mild social satire: jokes about men loving themselves, women seeking wealthy suitors, and humorous observations about marriage and courtship norms. These reflect period gender stereotypes rather than targeting particular individuals or events. The page's main content is commercial rather than satirical—hotel advertisements dominate, with one large advertisement for "Hotel del Monte" in Monterey prominently displayed.