The Wasp — 1889 — page 234: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes Colonel W., a pompous politician elected to the Legislature and former County Court Judge. The central cartoon depicts two men arguing over an ox labeled "Big Brindle"—the Colonel's prized but notoriously wild and vicious animal. The satire mocks the Colonel's pretension: Mr. Allen has impounded the ox after it caused damage, but the Colonel refuses to acknowledge the beast is dangerous, instead blaming Allen's animal-management skills. The dialogue reveals the Colonel's absurd defensiveness about his property and status. The surrounding text provides comedic anecdotes establishing the Colonel as ridiculous and easily provoked—perfect fodder for *The Wasp*'s satirical attacks on California's self-important elites during this era.