The Wasp — January 10, 1880 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily text rather than illustration—specifically a serialized story titled "Phases of History: Not Generally given in Detail," written by Mr. Salmi Morse for The Wasp. The narrative describes an old man and seventeen-year-old girl encountering violent weather near a fountain. It's a Gothic-tinged dramatic piece featuring dialogue about storms, death, and suffering, with descriptions of the old man's haggard appearance and the girl's distress. The story appears designed as entertainment literature rather than political satire. The right column includes quoted dialogue exploring themes of hardship and despair. Without visible cartoons or caricatures, this page functions as the magazine's literary content rather than its satirical commentary section.