The Wasp — 1892 — page 364: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two satirical stories from *The Wasp*, a California-based satirical publication. "The Preacher Fooled Them" describes a Methodist preacher in 1850s Sacramento County who deceives two gentlemen (including someone from the *Union* newspaper) during a camping trip, ultimately shooting at them with a pistol. The story satirizes religious hypocrisy and frontier violence. "The Demurrer Was Overruled" mocks San Francisco's court system, particularly depicting Judge Joseph McKenna and Congressman Joe handling a frivolous complaint about a demerrer (legal filing). The satire targets judicial incompetence and the absurdity of California's legal proceedings. Both stories use exaggerated frontier anecdotes to criticize authority figures and institutions.