The Wasp — 1879 — page 133: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains **two distinct pieces**: a letter column and a poem. The **left illustration** shows a domestic scene with a woman and man, accompanying "My Dear Grandmother," a humorous letter mocking San Francisco social life—particularly gossipy commentary about wealthy families, their servants, and fashionable neighborhoods like Dupont Street and Platt's Hall. The **right section** features "Cast-Away Genius," a poem with an illustration of a ship, praising someone (the text suggests an unnamed public figure) as a triumphant leader. The accompanying poem "The Lay of the Female Walkist" celebrates women's walking as modern, independent recreation. The page satirizes both **class pretensions and changing social norms** regarding women's activities and public life in 1870s San Francisco.