The Wasp — 1887 — page 491: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features three illustrated sections with accompanying text: 1. **"Madame Puss"**: A satirical portrait of a cat-woman character, mocking her as unsuitable for society—the text suggests she "may be an adventuress, a grass widow, a detective" or worse. 2. **"The Boycott's Status"**: Commentary on a new female boarder at the Boycott House who arrives unannounced. The text criticizes her questionable respectability and discusses the house's standards. 3. **Animal illustrations** (Tom the cat, Peter Piper, and Dame Puss): Whimsical verses accompanying drawings of animals in various situations—hunting mice, fishing, sleeping. The page appears focused on social satire regarding women's respectability and boarding-house standards, typical of Victorian-era satirical magazines. The animal illustrations provide lighter comic relief alongside the sharper social commentary.