The Wasp — 1879 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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# Analysis of "A Happy New Year Stump" This is a New Year's satire from *The Wasp* (San Francisco, January 4th, dated 1873). The cartoon depicts an elderly bearded man—likely representing an aging politician or public figure—being manipulated like a puppet by a cherubic figure wearing a turban or crown marked "1873." The figure holds stacked bowls and displays what appears to be a calendar or schedule with diamond symbols. The satire suggests that the incoming year will "play" or manipulate political/social figures for public amusement. The elderly man's bewildered expression and the supernatural/magical context (magical light rays, fantastical imagery) mock how powerless established figures are against inevitable change and new circumstances each year brings.