The Wasp — 1891 — page 96: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts two well-dressed men in what appears to be a confrontation. The caption and dialogue suggest a failed attempt at deception: - **Bogus Vet** asks to spare a quarter for "a poor old army sojer" - **Accented Party** responds skeptically, having seen the man before - **Bogus Vet** claims he was "the biggest" he'd ever seen The joke satirizes panhandling scams common in San Francisco—specifically, a con artist's transparent lie being exposed. The "bluff" refers to the beggar's false military service claim. The cartoon critiques urban deception and gullibility, typical of *The Wasp's* satirical focus on San Francisco social problems and street-level fraud.