The Wasp — 1879 — page 299: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a skeletal, caricatured figure in a dark coat and hat standing in what appears to be a large box or container, examining something. The caption reads "JOHN E. OW(E)NS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTS HIS THANKSGIVING DINNER." The wordplay on "Owens/Owes" suggests this is satirizing someone named John E. Owens who apparently owed debts. The skeletal figure and meager dinner (visible bones/scraps in the container) mock his financial destitution or failed circumstances. The sardonic tone—claiming he "gratefully accepts" what is clearly inadequate sustenance—emphasizes the absurdity of his situation. Without additional historical context, the specific identity of Owens and the particular scandal or debt involved remains unclear, though the satire targets his financial embarrassment.