The Wasp — 1893 — page 266: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two distinct pieces of satirical commentary: **"Round and About"** (left): A social gossip column mocking high-society Jewish merchants and their wives in the Western Addition neighborhood. The satire ridicules conspicuous consumption and pretension among the wealthy. **"The Sold 'Possums"** (right): A humorous story about a railroad engineer who attempts to kill a man crossing the tracks, then is blackmailed by that same man demanding "possums" (money/valuables) under threat of exposure. The accompanying illustration shows the extortion scene. Both pieces exemplify *The Wasp*'s characteristic approach: targeting social climbers, ethnic communities, and absurd situations for comedic effect. The magazine's humor reflects early-20th-century satirical conventions that relied heavily on stereotypes and class-based ridicule.