The Wasp — 1891 — page 435: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising**, featuring business listings for San Francisco establishments (liquor dealers, insurance, shipping companies, pianos, etc.). However, the central cartoon depicts two figures in conversation with the caption "Jack—What! Do I understand you aright? Do you refuse me? Mrs. Jack—No, not exactly that; but you can leave your references and call again!" This is a **satirical commentary on courtship and marriage**, likely mocking the formal, bureaucratic nature of Victorian-era matrimonial negotiations. The joke suggests that marriage proposals required "references"—treating romantic commitment like a business transaction or employment application. The woman's dismissive response humorously illustrates the absurdity of such formality in personal relationships. The surrounding text discusses women's literary societies and spinsters, supporting this theme of marriage and gender relations.