The Wasp — 1894 — page 338: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains a short story titled "Why Cadley Fainted" rather than political cartoons. The narrative depicts Mr. Cadley, a doorkeeper at the متlennium Club in San Francisco, fainting after receiving an insult about his appearance and financial status from Mr. Snobson, a wealthy club member. The satire targets class pretension and social hypocrisy: Snobson publicly humiliates Cadley over debts and appearance while simultaneously asking to borrow money. The story critiques how wealthy individuals weaponize social status to demean working-class employees, exposing the cruelty beneath aristocratic civility. The accompanying illustrations show Cadley's distressed expressions during this social humiliation. The page also includes unrelated period advertisements for patent medicines and dental services.