The Wasp — 1893 — page 238: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The page features a satirical column titled "The Old Maid's Diary" with an accompanying illustration of an elderly woman in Victorian dress. The text is a gossipy first-person narrative commenting on Sacramento's loss of state capital status to San Jose, and critiquing female political involvement. The satire mocks women seeking divorces and warns against marrying politicians. References include complaints about lobbying efforts ("lobbyists") and attacks on a woman named Miss Twiggs, apparently involved in California political circles. The illustration's exaggerated Victorian styling emphasizes the "old maid" stereotype. The humor relies on period gender politics—portraying the narrator as an interfering, marriage-obsessed busybody commenting on others' personal and political lives, reflecting contemporary attitudes about women's supposed proper role.