The Wasp — March 27, 1880 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertisements and business listings** for San Francisco establishments (bakeries, tailors, opticians, piano rentals, etc.), typical of a late 19th-century satirical magazine's revenue model. The central cartoon depicts a caricatured figure labeled "Bedlam—the baby," illustrated as a grotesque, demon-like creature in formal dress. This image accompanies a satirical **glossary of slang terms** (Bedlam, Iron, Cold, Faint, etc.), where each word receives a humorous definition. "Bedlam" literally means madness or chaos, suggesting the cartoon's subject represents some form of disorder or foolishness. Without additional historical context about what specific person or event "the baby" references, the precise satirical target remains **unclear**, though the hostile caricature style indicates social or political ridicule was intended.