The Wasp — 1877 — page 90: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features three related cartoons mocking a political candidate, likely from a California election (references to "San Francisco" and "Santa Rosa" appear in the text). The illustrations show a rooster figure labeled "The Candidate," depicted in increasingly undignified poses—spreading money or papers, striking boastful stances. The accompanying verse mockingly questions the candidate's legitimacy and fitness for office. The satire appears to target someone accused of fraud or financial impropriety ("Look out for fraud," the text warns). The rooster imagery suggests vanity and empty boasting. The cartoons mock the candidate's grandstanding and suggest voters should be skeptical of his promises and character. The specific candidate's identity isn't labeled in visible text, though context clues suggest a local California political race during this era.