The Wasp — 1892 — page 398: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **text-based gossip and social commentary** rather than political cartooning. The masthead illustration shows the magazine's satirical wasp mascot. The column includes several local Oakland/California anecdotes mocking various figures: - **J.M. Dameron**: A Los Angeles lawyer ridiculed for his jealousy of a typewriter and poor marksmanship - **Mrs. Walter Thomas**: A widow worried about inheriting her late husband's debts - **Church**: A man married six times, imprisoned for shooting - **Captain Johnson**: Criticized for refusing to aid a distressed mail steamer The satire targets **social pretension, incompetence, and moral failings** among local personalities. References to ward-strikers and election politics suggest this was published during a contentious campaign season when political operatives were active.