The Wasp — 1878 — page 136: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is the cover/title page of a satirical weekly magazine priced at 10 cents. The header shows San Francisco's skyline. Below is an allegorical engraving titled "NORTH AND SOUTH, PAST AND PRESENT" depicting classical female figures (likely representing different regions or time periods) distributing sustenance to children. The image appears to reference post-Civil War Reconstruction themes—showing idealized concepts of charity, unity, or regional reconciliation between North and South. The classical allegorical style was typical of 19th-century political satire. Without additional context from the magazine's contents, the specific satirical point remains unclear, though it likely commented on contemporary Reconstruction policies or sectional relations during this 1878 period.