The Wasp — 1889 — page 374: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two distinct narrative pieces rather than political cartoons. "The Engineer's Story" depicts a railroad worker recounting workplace incidents to a judge, including a dramatic account of an engine malfunction. The accompanying illustration shows two men in period dress, apparently during the anecdote. Below that, "She Caught Him" presents an anecdote about Ex-Governor Cornell of New York, satirizing his claim of frugality. The humor targets Cornell's hypocrisy: while pretending financial restraint, he actually spent lavishly on personal items. "Had Letters of Introduction" is a third sketch about a Utican hunter and farmer encountering a trespasser, playing on rural social dynamics and class assumptions. These pieces exemplify 19th-century American satirical humor focused on character exposure and workplace/social mishaps rather than partisan politics.