The Wasp — 1880 — page 225: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains a short story rather than a cartoon. The narrative concerns two young men—Dennis Fenno (the protagonist) and Austin Perry—who were students together. Years later, Fenno has become successful while Perry remains less fortunate. The satire centers on social class and exclusion: Perry visits Fenno expecting an invitation to Fenno's upcoming wedding, but Fenno, now wealthy and status-conscious, deliberately avoids extending one. The story mocks both characters—Fenno's snobbish pretension and Perry's awkward, persistent hints about attending. The title itself captures the humiliation: Perry is pointedly *not* invited, revealing how wealth reshapes friendships and social obligations in American society.