The Wasp — 1893 — page 74: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a gossip and social commentary column titled "Round and About," featuring brief satirical observations about San Francisco society and personalities. The illustration shows men in formal dress gathered around a pillar marked "ROUND AND ABOUT"—the column's mascot/emblem. Key topics satirized include: - **Colonel Chamberlain**: Mocked for examining a walking stick's handle with excessive reverence, suggesting pretentious scrutiny of trivial objects - **Market Street youth**: Criticized for outdated fashion and affected behavior - **Telephone monopoly**: Attacked as an "outrageous" oppression needing public intervention - **Various local figures**: Including boxer Harry Maynard, dentist Lezynsky, and Lieutenant Totten, each receiving pointed jabs about personal conduct or decisions The tone is witty, gossipy, and aimed at deflating San Francisco's elite pretensions through humor.