The Wasp — 1879 — page 191: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents a first-person account about the boot-blacking trade in what appears to be San Francisco (references to Powell and Market). The narrator, a boot-black, discusses the economics and dignity of his work—charging 50-70 cents per pair, earning $1,000-$1,100 monthly despite country people finding the price high. The illustrated vignettes show scenes of street labor and working-class life. The text humorously defends boot-blacking against class prejudice, arguing it's legitimate work that requires skill and deserves respect. There's also a critical anecdote about "Joaquin," an American who initially refused to pay for services. The overall satire appears to critique class snobbery and attitudes toward manual labor while defending working-class dignity and commerce.