The Wasp — June 5, 1880 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# The Illustrated Wasp, June 5, 1880 The masthead illustration shows a wasp attacking what appears to be political figures or symbols—likely representing the magazine's satirical mission to sting political opponents. "The Outlook" section announces the Wasp's editorial stance during an election year (1880), promising to expose political corruption and hypocrisy regardless of party. The text references the upcoming presidential race, mentioning Republican and Democratic campaigns, and pledges to attack political "humbuggery" and "cliques." The "Feuilleton" section contains a humorous letter from Paris describing trivial social mishaps—a common satirical format of the era used for mocking both American pretensions and European society. The page combines political commentary with lighthearted social satire, typical of 1880s American humor magazines.