The Wasp — 1881 — page 60: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This two-panel satirical cartoon contrasts religious and theatrical charitable efforts. **Top panel ("Saturday Night"):** A chaotic street crowd—appears to depict vice, poverty, or social disorder despite charitable interventions, with visible signage mentioning "PIM FAM POOR" and "DIME." **Bottom panel ("Sunday Morning"):** Better-dressed figures (likely clergy and theater guild members) distribute aid to women and children outside a church, suggesting organized charity efforts. The satire appears skeptical about whether church and stage guild efforts genuinely improve conditions. The contrast between Saturday's disorder and Sunday's controlled charity may mock the superficiality or ineffectiveness of charitable works, or suggest that charitable actors are merely performing their roles rather than creating lasting social change.