The Wasp — 1887 — page 368: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon titled "Dame Scandal in her barrel dips / And brings foul things to light." It depicts a caricatured woman ("Dame Scandal") pulling various scandals from a barrel labeled "PICKING UP SCANDALS." The items she retrieves appear to be labeled with names or accusations, which she holds up gleefully. The accompanying verse indicates the cartoon criticizes how scandal-mongering exposes wrongdoing indiscriminately—some legitimate, some merely salacious. The exaggerated facial expression and theatrical pose suggest mockery of those who traffic in gossip and public accusations. Without clearer label visibility, the specific scandals referenced remain unclear, though the cartoon's general point critiques the sensationalism of scandal-spreading in 1880s San Francisco society.