The Wasp — 1891 — page 400: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains three distinct satirical pieces: 1. **"Hickory Jim" cartoon**: Shows a crude office scene where someone claims a telephone conversation reached a dog. The joke mocks poor telephone quality or absurd communication mishaps. 2. **"Photographia" section**: A dialogue between a Mayor and Investigators about building inspection failures—roof leaks, loose fasteners, plate-glass windows, and crucially, **elevators**. The satire targets incompetent municipal oversight and contractor negligence in public buildings. 3. **"The Small Boy Again" cartoon**: A child tells a woman that "no man wants" something "no man has" and "no man can get rid of." This appears to be satirizing marriage or domestic life through children's innocent observations. The page emphasizes governmental incompetence and domestic social commentary typical of Gilded Age American satire.