The Wasp — 1893 — page 177: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features a satirical cartoon mocking **Beamish's department store clearance sale**. The central image shows a large bear standing upright in a warehouse setting, surrounded by shoppers and merchandise displays labeled "Beamish." The caption explains the satire: "The golden bear settles the silver question by giving five dollars' worth of shirts and underwear for every standard dollar." This references the **monetary inflation/currency debate** of the era—the bear's generous exchange rate is presented as absurdly impossible, satirizing the store's exaggerated sale claims. The lower portion contains various local San Francisco advertisements, including bicycles, cigars, tailoring services, and Wasp magazine itself. These ads were the magazine's revenue source.