The Wasp — 1891 — page 453: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical strip (subtitled "After Sinbad") depicts the contrasting nighttime and daytime behavior of a bank president. Panel 1 establishes the scenario: the president left $50,000 in the safe overnight. Subsequent panels show him carousing at night—going on picnics, attending fancy social events, dancing with attractive women at what appears to be a "Lace Department" venue, enjoying "beautiful nights" of leisure and romance. The repeated refrain "But oh, what a difference in the morning!" emphasizes the comic irony: his carefree nightlife contrasts sharply with the stress and responsibility he faces during business hours managing the bank's finances. The satire mocks the double life of privileged businessmen—indulgent hedonists by night, serious financial figures by day.