The Wasp — March 6, 1880 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Cinderella" - The Illustrated Wasp This page presents an illustration titled "Cinderella" depicting a woman in domestic servitude, surrounded by household labor tools and refuse. The accompanying text discusses Irish and English laborers, legal injunctions, and disputes over wages and working conditions. The satire appears to conflate the fairy-tale character Cinderella—known for suffering oppression before her transformation—with the real conditions of working-class servants and laborers in late 19th-century America. The text references disputes about "picking something up" and references to "the leg," suggesting commentary on labor exploitation and poor treatment of workers. The cartoon likely critiques either specific labor disputes of the era or broader class exploitation, using the Cinderella narrative to mock the idea that downtrodden workers might ever achieve their "happily ever after."