The Wasp — 1879 — page 249: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains **serialized fiction**, not political satire or cartoons. It's Chapter I (continued) and Chapter II of a story titled "Toilers and Spinsters." The narrative concerns **Mr. Norris**, apparently engaged but distracted, and **Charlie Randolph**, a bachelor enjoying San Francisco social life. The plot involves romantic complications: Norris pursuing another woman, Hilarie's injured ankle, and General Dalbraith—a wealthy older man—interacting with various characters including his solicitor and a young nephew. The text satirizes **upper-class society behavior**: arranged marriages, financial motives, and moral hypocrisy among the wealthy. References to "Hilarie and Bertie Leigh" and social visiting suggest this targets San Francisco's established elite and their pretensions. Without visible illustrations, the specific satirical targets remain unclear beyond the general critique of wealthy society.