The Wasp — 1888 — page 500: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two distinct pieces: **"Merry Men"** (top): A character sketch praising Judge Peckham as an ideal "merry fellow"—sociable, witty, and charming. The text celebrates his oratorical skills and popularity among San Francisco's elite, portraying him as a model of successful masculine socialibility. **"The Elephant's Revenge"** (bottom): A comic narrative poem with three illustrations depicting an elephant retaliating against a man for mistreatment. The elephant systematically humiliates the man—tossing him, impaling him on a cactus—as punishment for past cruelty. The verses emphasize themes of delayed justice and the folly of underestimating one's enemies. Both pieces reflect late-19th-century American satirical magazine conventions: character eulogy and moral fables illustrated with wood engravings.