The Wasp — 1879 — page 261: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page from *The Wasp* is primarily **text rather than a cartoon**—it's a serialized story titled "Phases of History Not Generally Given in Detail," written by Salmi Morse specifically for the magazine. The narrative appears to be a satirical tale about **Mr. Josiah Martin**, a character involved in some kind of domestic dispute or scandal. The text references embarrassing situations, a woman, financial troubles, and various humiliating encounters designed for comedic effect. Without seeing accompanying illustrations clearly, the satire's specific targets remain unclear, though the piece mocks Victorian social pretensions and domestic upheaval through exaggerated narrative. The content exemplifies *The Wasp's* approach: using serialized fiction to lampoon identifiable (to contemporary readers) public figures or social types.