The Wasp — 1893 — page 259: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts two women in Victorian-era bathing costumes engaging in flirtatious banter at Santa Cruz beach. The first woman complains about business being "awful," while the second responds that the man she's after has "no sand" and "little of it down here." The humor relies on double entendre: "sand" literally references the beach setting but also suggests masculine vigor or courage. The satire mocks both the pretensions of seaside resort culture and gender dynamics of the period, where women's romantic pursuits were constrained by social conventions. The accompanying text features period dialogue about accommodations and social interactions at Santa Cruz, positioning this as commentary on turn-of-the-century California beach resort society and the somewhat risqué interactions occurring there.