The Wasp — 1879 — page 455: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising** for San Francisco businesses (late 19th century), with one substantial editorial article. The main content is titled **"Human Trash and their Deserts,"** criticizing men who abuse wives and children. It references **Thomas Farley**, apparently a specific case of animal cruelty (fined $10 for horse abuse), arguing that wife-beaters deserve similar punishment. The piece advocates marriage as preferable to divorce for such men—a paternalistic moral stance typical of the era. The article also attacks **H. P. Goldstein** for embezzling charity funds meant for a tail (unclear reference), and criticizes **John Harford** and others for fast driving endangering lives. The cartoon illustration (top-left) depicts a well-dressed man with children, labeled "Human Trash and their Deserts," visually reinforcing the article's condemnation of domestic abuse and cruelty.