The Wasp — 1889 — page 246: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains satirical humor columns and a small cartoon rather than political commentary. The top cartoon shows a character named "Jack" discovering wasps in baskets, illustrating the magazine's mascot. The main content includes humor sections: "Some New Definitions" (satirical dictionary entries mocking abstract concepts), "Wisdom of Mike O'Hara" (Irish-accented folk wisdom), and various short anecdotes poking fun at social situations—an overly-detailed party invitation, a conductor's romantic encounter, and a shopkeeper's transaction. The humor targets bourgeois pretension, romantic misunderstandings, and everyday absurdities rather than specific political figures or events. The overall tone is light social satire typical of late-19th-century American humor magazines, emphasizing wordplay and situational comedy over editorial commentary.