The Wasp — 1879 — page 190: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

**The Cartoon:** The illustrated header shows two women in profile gossiping, labeled "GOSSIP." This visual anchor frames the page's satirical content about idle talk and rumor-mongering. **The Content:** The page consists primarily of editorial commentary and advertisements rather than sequential comics. The main political piece addresses the "Municipal Reform Party," detailing their platform principles adopted March 4th, 1879. The text critiques various reform proposals regarding city government, salaries, and administration. Other sections mock local figures (including a "Rev. Allan Curr") and discuss absurd incidents—a man losing $10,000 in a newspaper, a mule saved by a bell-pull. The satire targets both political corruption and the gullibility of the public who spread sensational stories, reinforcing the "gossip" theme established by the header illustration.