The Wasp — 1893 — page 100: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical comic strip mocks working-class men frequenting a "Coffee and Doughnuts" establishment. The title "Beating the Beats" likely refers to outwitting or cheating — possibly evading payment or getting free meals through various schemes. The narrative follows multiple men attempting to manipulate the doughnut vendor and each other. Panel 1 shows one man waiting his turn; subsequent panels depict conversations about money ("Let me fix it," "insist," "lost my purse on the bureau"). Panel 5 references a "Doughnut Manufacturer" demanding payment ("Nope o' per moneyshines there"). The final panels show physical comedy and apparent theft ("Quick Lunch"), suggesting the men are swindling the establishment or each other. The satire targets working-class dishonesty and petty grift of the era.