The Wasp — 1891 — page 283: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **a directory of hotels and lodging places** on the Pacific Coast, with associated advertisements. The actual editorial content is minimal. The small cartoon titled "ILLUSTRATED EXPRESSIONS" shows three figures with the caption "Heaven helps those who help themselves. (But not in this case.)" It appears to satirize petty theft or self-help taken to dishonest extremes—likely a comment on common theft or pilfering behavior. Below this are brief humorous anecdotes about barbers and medical remedies (Ayer's Sarsaparilla, Simmons Liver Regulator). The page functions primarily as commercial advertising for hotels, with satirical commentary relegated to marginal space—typical of *The Wasp's* format as a trade publication mixed with social commentary.