The Wasp — 1879 — page 311: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a six-panel comic sequence depicting two young boys (John and James) left unsupervised in a bathtub by their mother, Mrs. Grubb. The "lark" (prank/fun) escalates from innocent splashing into increasingly chaotic behavior: they have "amusement," take "a deep dip," and ultimately one boy kicks the other, prompting the final panel's plea: "I'll teach you not to kick me." The humor targets parental supervision and children's mischievous nature rather than political content. It's domestic satire—a common genre in period American humor magazines—showing how quickly bathtime devolves into rowdy play and sibling conflict when adults aren't watching. The escalating chaos and physical retaliation reflect Victorian-era attitudes toward childhood behavior and discipline.