The Wasp — 1878 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The cartoon at the top left shows a wasp labeled "The Very Freshest American Humor," depicting the magazine itself as a stinging insect—a common self-referential visual pun for satirical publications of this era. The page consists primarily of **short humorous anecdotes and satirical commentary** rather than political cartoons. Topics include: mockery of social pretensions, commentary on labor conditions (Chicago whiskey prices, working-class complaints), criticism of wealthy figures (Lord Salisbury's journalism), and absurdist humor about daily life. The satire targets American society broadly—business inefficiency, class disparities, and social absurdities—rather than specific political figures or events. This represents typical late-19th-century magazine humor: accessible, observational, and focused on urban American life.