The Wasp — 1893 — page 262: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a multi-panel April Fools' Day satire depicting various financial and social "foolishness." The panels show: 1. A Stock Exchange visitor waiting for rising stocks 2. A Pauper's Alley figure in financial distress 3. A matrimonial fool experiencing domestic chaos 4. A man backing "wrong horses" (poor investments) 5. A political office-seeker in Cleveland (likely referencing local politics) 6. A milliner's spring opening attracting numerous victims 7. An idiot infesting street corners The cartoon mocks financial speculation, bad marriages, investment losses, and social pretension—common targets of Gilded Age satire. The Cleveland reference suggests local San Francisco political context. The overall message: various groups of people engage in foolish behavior, particularly regarding money and social status.