The Wasp — July 10, 1880 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Brave Trooper and the Bold Bad Boys" This is a humorous narrative poem with illustrations, not a political cartoon. It tells the story of "Byng," a cavalry trooper in the Fourth Regiment, who attempts to impress his girlfriend by riding a horse after gluing the saddle on with a pot of glue (a prank by two boys from a local store). The satire mocks military pretension and romantic posturing—a soldier trying to show off ends up losing his seat due to a crude prank. The moral at the end emphasizes that pride leads to humbling falls. The illustrations show the saddle-gluing scheme and Byng's subsequent embarrassment as he loses control of his horse. This appears to be lighthearted social satire rather than political commentary.