The Wasp — November 22, 1879 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# The San Francisco Illustrated Wasp, November 22, 1879 This page depicts "Old Mother Hubbard, Locked Up Her Cupboard, To Spoil the Cat's Lapping Her Milk" — a satirical adaptation of the nursery rhyme. The cartoon shows Supervisor-elect J.M. Litchfield being interviewed. According to the accompanying quote, when asked about his qualifications, Litchfield compares himself to "a grocery man" rather than a "lawyer man," and states he cannot prove his competence by witnesses, only claiming he's "ordinarily sensible." The satire likely criticizes Litchfield's fitness for office, suggesting his self-assessment as merely "ordinary" is unsuitable for a position requiring expertise. The nursery rhyme framing implies he's inadequate — "spoiling" public resources like the cupboard spoils the cat's milk. The stacks of documents on the desk emphasize the bureaucratic duties he may be unqualified to handle.