The Wasp — 1890 — page 93: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two cartoon panels titled "Force of Habit," satirizing San Francisco's social and religious hypocrisy. The top panel depicts Elder Darkcloude confronting Deacon Handpan and "brudder Simpson" about removing a collection plate, sarcastically asking what they've obtained for "any te dat, brudder Simpson." The accompanying text attacks San Francisco's booksellers for cheapening literature, and criticizes the city's Polish Catholic population for what the author perceives as excessive religious theatricality—specifically female parishioners' enthusiastic (and violent) greeting of their new priest with "biting, scratching and kicking." The satire targets both commercial corruption and what the author views as performative, undignified religious practice among working-class immigrants.