The Wasp — 1894 — page 476: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The cartoon depicts two men in formal attire at the Union Club, with one saying "Let's go up and hear Belle Thorne and the new people at the Tivoli" and another responding "Yes, but how are we going to stand all that terrible thing about it?" This appears to be satirizing San Francisco's social elite and their gossip. The text references Belle Thorne (likely a performer or socialite) and the Tivoli (a local entertainment venue). The joke seems to mock how wealthy club members discuss scandals or controversial behavior while remaining part of that same social circle—they find the "terrible thing" objectionable yet still participate in the associated social scene. The cartoon critiques the hypocrisy of upper-class society: disapproving publicly while engaging privately.