The Wasp — 1890 — page 493: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a fictional narrative rather than political satire. The story follows a narrator's recollection of early life working as a bullwhacker (ox-team driver) on the Union Pacific Railroad route to the Pacific Coast, specifically in the Bitter Creek region. The piece depicts frontier life: teamsters, oxen, crude camp conditions, and rough workers engaged in manual labor. The narrative includes dialect-heavy dialogue typical of 19th-century frontier literature, showcasing working-class speech patterns and daily hardships. The accompanying portrait illustration shows a man in period dress. While *The Wasp* was primarily a satirical publication, this particular entry appears to be humorous fiction celebrating or documenting frontier culture rather than political commentary. The appeal likely lay in its authentic working-class perspective and colorful characterization of American frontier life.