The Wasp — 1877 — page 195: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains primarily satirical text commentary rather than cartoons. The visible illustration shows a figure riding what appears to be a spherical object labeled "EXCELSIOR." The page discusses various social absurdities: a woman who divided her husband's property without his consent; a man who asked a girl to forge a check; and commentary on burglars' methods. One section mocks religious hypocrisy, describing a girl whose "wooden ware" became valuable. The satire targets Victorian-era social pretension and moral contradictions among the wealthy and respectable classes. References to fraud, dishonesty among "honest" citizens, and the gap between stated values and actual behavior appear throughout. The tone suggests *The Wasp* functioned as social criticism through humorous anecdotes and editorial commentary rather than primarily visual cartooning on this particular page.