The Wasp — 1892 — page 226: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two separate pieces: a gossip column titled "Society as She Is" and a short story called "Pshaw!" accompanied by illustrations. The gossip column criticizes unnamed wealthy Santa Cruz society figures, particularly a woman the writer considers vulgar and tasteless. The author mocks her appearance, her husband's infidelity, and what he views as her social pretensions despite lacking breeding or refinement. "Pshaw!" depicts a woman rejecting a suitor's advances with physical comedy—she strikes him, causing him to lose balance. The story criticizes her behavior as unladylike. The third section, "Inviting Trouble," shows a brief domestic scene with minimal context visible. Overall, the page satirizes social climbing, marital discord, and female behavior among California's leisure class in this era.