The Wasp — 1887 — page 87: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **text content rather than illustrated cartoons**—it consists of editorial commentary and fictional anecdotes typical of the satirical magazine format. The content includes social satire targeting **Los Angeles civic development**, criticizing how the city pursues grandiose projects (Capitol building, Normal School, Federal offices) while neglecting practical infrastructure. The text mocks local ambitions as overreaching. A separate anecdote satirizes **California "sportsmen"** who exaggerate hunting accomplishments—one character claims to have killed a "1,100-pounder" buck with a single shot, which the narrator treats skeptically as frontier braggadocio. Another brief section includes a morality joke about verifying honesty before trusting someone. The magazine targets **regional pretension and tall-tale culture** of 1880s California.