The Wasp — 1890 — page 259: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains three separate satirical pieces: 1. **"Music Hath Charms"** (top): A visual joke showing a cornet player whose music causes chaos—figures flee in panic, suggesting the musician is terrible and his performance is weaponized noise rather than entertainment. 2. **"In a Pillory"** (left): A dialogue between "Fond Mother" and "Ethel" about taking pills. The mother urges the daughter to take medicine, while Ethel resists, worrying pills will harm her. The satire mocks mothers' casual over-medication of children and pill-pushing culture. 3. **"Hardly Worth While"** and **"At Austin, Texas"** (right): Brief humorous dialogues—one about a poor man named Smith marrying in Japan, another about university attendance. These are short joke exchanges typical of magazine filler. The page exemplifies *Wasp*'s mix of visual satire and comedic dialogue targeting everyday social absurdities.