The Wasp — 1894 — page 174: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration depicts two figures labeled as "veterans" in what appears to be an interior domestic scene. The caption contrasts their current civilian lives with military service: Colonel Verry Soon supposedly didn't participate in a "local military tournament" (described as mere "boy's play"), while Miss Octavia Streete argues mosquitoes in Alameda aren't as dangerous as "target excursions" used to be—a decade ago. The satire mocks those who trade on past military credentials while avoiding present civic participation or physical challenges. The elegantly dressed woman with her elaborate train and the well-groomed man represent individuals resting on outdated laurels rather than remaining actively engaged in community affairs or military-adjacent activities of 1894.