The Wasp — 1893 — page 488: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page from *The Wasp* contains social commentary on San Francisco life rather than explicit political cartoons. **"The Old Maid's Diary"** section critiques the city's climate and women's fashion challenges—particularly the difficulty of finding durable dress materials that withstand San Francisco's harsh weather and dust. The illustrations show women in various states of sartorial distress. The text discusses how San Francisco businessmen neglect their wives' needs and how local merchants fail to stock quality fabrics. It also satirizes local milliners and their overpriced bonnets, mocking pretentious hat-trimmers who charge exorbitantly while producing mediocre work. The final poem "Wolly" appears unrelated—a brief domestic verse about a character named Willie. Overall, this reflects *The Wasp's* characteristic focus on local San Francisco society and consumer culture rather than national politics.