The Wasp — 1894 — page 118: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising and entertainment listings**, not political satire. The central content shows two physiognomical studies—detailed portraits of Miss Houston and Miss Barrington from the Palmer Company—accompanying an article analyzing their facial features to determine character traits. This reflects the pseudoscience of **physiognomy**, popular in the 19th century, which claimed personality and moral character could be determined by facial structure. The lengthy text discusses their "brain organs," chin shape, and "amative tendencies" in pseudoscientific terms. The remainder of the page consists of theater advertisements for San Francisco venues (Stockwell's Theatre, New Alcazar Theatre, etc.) announcing performances of popular plays and entertainments of the period.