The Wasp — 1891 — page 535: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising and poetry**, not political satire. The central illustration shows a figure labeled "GOOD NIGHT, OLD YEAR"—a personified departing year depicted as an elderly, weary soldier or traveler with a rifle and pack, saying goodbye. The accompanying poem reflects on the passing year's hardships: warfare, famine, disease, and economic struggle. Lines reference "killing men," "unloaded guns," and "King Alcohol," suggesting the poem commemorates a year marked by conflict and suffering—likely referencing the Boer War or similar early-1900s conflicts. The poem's tone is melancholic reflection rather than biting satire. The page otherwise consists entirely of San Francisco business advertisements for whiskey, insurance, pianos, and other services, typical of *The Wasp's* commercial content.