Judge — December 27, 1902 — page 5: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“Show him up at once,” commands his mistress. “At last, at last!" she cries joyfully. “I wonder if he will be angry with me for sitting up? - Ah, here he is!” : But no; it is not he. A man she has never seen before enters the room and hands her a folded paper. She opens it nervously. It is a bill from Mademoiselle Henriette. She scans it carelessly.“ Eight thou- sand, nine hundred and forty-seven dollars and fifteen cents, is it? I have no doubt that is quite correct. But where is the gown ?” “Tes down in the keb, mum,” replies the man.“ My orders is not to deliver it till this here bill is “see. oe manoy me Paid.” estennes 5 j 7 ; Ser asots uncve out She rises to her feet, her eyes blazing with indignation. “Go!” she cries. “Leave this house instantly ! Sent me, raor comes And tell Mademoiselle Henriette that she shall never make another gown for me as long as I live. So To mectin sumpay — there!” WF 1 Kat Pm sum Cowed by her magnificent wrath, the man slinks away and the door closes behind him, But the strain way PGT In em” — has been too great for her poor, weak nerves. No sooner is her tormentor out of sight than, with a low moan of anguish, the stricken woman sinks to the floor in a swoon. Sad? Ah, yes; that is the worst of true stories. ‘They seldom end happily. ISAAC ANDERSON, STORY. [TIS Christmas eve. No, dear reader; it is not snowing. A drizzling rain is falling. This is a true story, and the scene is laid in New York. A woman, no longer young, and not so very beautiful, either, sits wait- ing alone.“ Will he never come?" she murmurs. “Ten years ago this very night he left me, saying he would be back in half an hour. If he stays much longer I shall lose patience. But he will come—I know he will. He has probably met some old college chum and does not realize how time flies. Men are so thoughtless. And yet I sometimes wonder if it could be true, what they told me, that he had embez- aed a million dollars and eloped with a chorus-girl. But no; I will not believe it. It is too absurd. If he had done that he would have been back long A million dollars can’t last forever. Oh, dear, oh, dear! why doesn't he come? Doesn't he know that pov- erty is staring us in the face ? Our bank-account is over- drawn, and U'm afraid our credit won't last much long- er. And the girls need new ball-dresses, too. Even that isn’t the worst of it. We are the only family on the block that hasn’t got an au- tomobile, and people are be- ginning to talk about it.” There is a ring at the door-bell, «Tis he!" she “He has forgotten his latch-key again.” “A gentleman to see you, mum,” announces the servant as obsequiously as can be expected, consider- ing that he has received_no THE TOYS' CHRISTMAS-PARTY. wages for the last nine years. Santa Claus serves the annval sawdust turkey, comicbooks.com