The Wasp — 1892 — page 488: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This four-panel comic strip satirizes romantic courtship rituals. A young man attempts to court a woman by arriving at her residence (panel 1), but she departs before he can properly greet her (panel 2). He then pursues business with a tailor for repairs (panel 3), while the woman's elderly father—described as "up to snuff" (meaning alert/aware)—quickly responds to the situation (panel 4). The satire mocks the formalities and inefficiencies of Victorian-era courtship: the lover's elaborate preparations, missed connections, and the protective father's swift intervention. The title "Ye Olden Time" ironically presents these courtship conventions as outdated even when published, suggesting Wasp readers found such formal romantic pursuits ridiculous or overly complicated.