The Wasp — 1892 — page 510: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two main satirical pieces: "The Old Maid's Diary" (with accompanying illustration of a woman in period dress) and "Tale of a Deadhead." **"The Old Maid's Diary"** mocks San Francisco's pretensions through an elderly woman's observations of street signs and social climbing. The satire targets the city's affectation—she notes that locals put "Palace" in names of ordinary establishments to seem grander ("not a palace, but a palace"). **"Tale of a Deadhead"** ridicules medical colleges that dissect cadavers for student instruction. The anecdote describes students obtaining corpses cheaply and dissecting them for education. The satire critiques both the macabre practice and the casual way bodies were obtained and used, treating the subject with darkly comedic irreverence typical of *The Wasp*'s provocative style. Both pieces target San Francisco society's pretense and questionable practices.