The Wasp — 1879 — page 462: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents a cumulative nursery rhyme in satirical form, featuring repeated illustrations of various figures (a woman, man, dog, stick, fire, water, ox, butcher, and death) with the refrain that none of the sent agents accomplished their task—"he/it did not come home." The final line, "BUT HE NEVER CAME HOME, HE NEVER CAME HOME!" emphasizes the futility of the chain of command. This appears to be political satire mocking bureaucratic inefficiency or failed governance, where each successive intervention fails to achieve its purpose—a commentary on institutional incompetence or the breakdown of hierarchical systems. The "nursery tale" format makes the critique accessible through familiar storytelling conventions.