The Wasp — July 17, 1880 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is primarily a humorous legal anecdote about a judge and a complainant named Patsy Burns. A man comes to court claiming Patsy Burns is a "kid skinning" (swindler) who ruined him. The judge skeptically questions whether this young "rooster" actually committed fraud. The complainant insists Burns is guilty, but the judge suggests the man himself may be at fault for poor judgment—implying the complainant is the actual fool rather than the victim. The joke satirizes the absurdity of some small claims: a man complaining about being outsmarted, with the judge essentially ruling that he deserves what he got. The remainder of the page contains advertisements for optical services, oils, and other goods typical of 1880s San Francisco publications.