The Wasp — 1879 — page 99: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a serialized satirical story titled "Phases of History: Not Generally given in Detail," written by Mr. Salmi Morse for *The Wasp*. The narrative continues from a previous installment and depicts social discord, specifically scenes of working-class disorder and moral collapse. The text describes John, apparently an employer or authority figure, witnessing chaos among workers or subordinates—characterized by drunkenness, violence, and abandonment of responsibility. The accompanying illustrations show crowded, chaotic scenes of common people in disarray, suggesting Victorian-era social anxiety about labor unrest, urban disorder, or moral degradation among the lower classes. The satire appears to critique either working-class behavior or societal management thereof, typical of *The Wasp*'s satirical commentary on San Francisco society and politics.