The Wasp — 1892 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains multiple short satirical stories and poems rather than cartoons. The pieces mock various social situations: **"Balanced the Account"** satirizes a lawyer who accepts stolen steaks as payment, then tries to collect from the dog's owner—absurd logic presented as legal maneuvering. **"A Neat Swindle"** references P.T. Barnum's circus success, suggesting Americans enjoy being deceived by spectacle. **"A Serious Objection"** ridicules a German immigrant family's confusion about time zones—a common immigrant confusion played for humor. **"Still Doubtful"** mocks youth's cynicism about morality and labor. The remaining pieces are brief poems on romance and social complaints. The satire targets lawyers, immigrant confusion, American gullibility, and romantic disappointments—typical *Wasp* targets of urban middle-class foibles.