The Wasp — 1893 — page 344: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a formal greeting at the "Costume House" between a woman in elaborate classical/allegorical dress (labeled "California") and a formally-dressed gentleman. The caption indicates this man is "the first Democrat of our State honored by Federal appointment by President Cleveland." The satire appears to mock either the appointment itself or the recipient's character, playing on the incongruity between the woman's grand, patriotic presentation and the man's seemingly ordinary or undeserving appearance. The "Costume House" setting suggests this is theater or pretense—perhaps implying the appointee is unqualified despite his formal presentation, or that California's Democratic leadership lacks substance. Without knowing the specific appointee's identity, the exact target remains unclear, though it likely references a controversial Cleveland-era federal appointment in California.