The Wasp — 1889 — page 295: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains three separate pieces of satirical content. The main illustration shows three men by water—one standing in it holding what appears to be flasks, captioned "Country Boy: Steve! Steve! Look at that! He is drinking out of two flasks!" The joke satirizes excess drinking, likely referencing contemporary concerns about alcohol consumption. The text includes theatrical anecdotes about Victoria Vokes's debut and stories about theatrical figures named Forepaugh and Brother Chauncey. A section titled "Talmage and the Bunco Steerer" recounts a con artist encounter, apparently mocking someone's gullibility. The small comic dialogue "A Little Previous" depicts men discussing drinking and domestic life—typical period satire on working-class behavior and marital relations. These pieces reflect late 19th-century American satirical humor targeting social vices and theatrical personalities.