The Wasp — 1890 — page 87: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The page contains two satirical dialogues with accompanying illustrations. **"His Love Worth Even More"** depicts a romantic scene where a man (George) declares his love, while a woman (Clara) responds by asking him to take scissors from the table—revealing a mercenary dynamic. The joke is that Clara values George's material provision ("It cost me $10") over his romantic sentiment, making his love literally worth less than household goods. **"Altogether Too Smart a Crowd"** shows a post-party conversation where Mr. Morgenthal boasts about inviting "some smart business men" to a gathering. The humor suggests these guests were overly shrewd or calculating, implying social discomfort or friction—they were "too smart" for pleasant social interaction. Both dialogues mock materialism and social pretension among middle-class San Francisco society.