The Wasp — 1891 — page 129: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two distinct sections: a serialized narrative story about a perilous journey (featuring characters named Phil, Dan, and Josefa) and a separate article titled "A PETTICOAT CLUB." The main illustration depicts a dramatic scene of a horse and rider struggling in turbulent ocean waves near rocky cliffs—accompanying the serialized adventure narrative about coastal travel dangers. The "Petticoat Club" article is social satire about a San Francisco ladies' organization (the "Hundred Club"). The piece mocks their membership procedures, particularly their use of voting with "white and black balls" to admit or reject candidates—a system the author finds pretentious. The satire targets the club's secrecy and social exclusivity, while poking fun at how such organizations manage membership applications through formal, elaborate processes.