The Wasp — 1878 — page 320: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The main cartoon depicts two fashionable women in conversation, labeled "I Licked Him." The dialogue reveals a domestic dispute: a husband came home late from work with fish instead of groceries, then complained about pain in his back—excuses the wife saw through. She "licked him" (defeated him in argument) by catching him in his contradictions: if his back hurt, he couldn't have gone fishing; if he actually fished, he wouldn't need the excuses. The satire targets lazy husbands who fabricate excuses to avoid household responsibilities and proper provision for their families. The cartoon mocks male dishonesty in marriage and celebrates the wife's sharp reasoning that exposes his deception—a commentary on gender dynamics and domestic expectations of the era.