Life — January 5, 1893 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

“ Well, you haven't lost much.” “What is it?” LiFe is its name. Short LIFE would have ex- pressed it better perhaps,” and the conversation drifted into more interesting fields. Those were the days when Fate, with a heavy club, seemed waiting for us behind convenient corners. But LiFe had no intention of giv- ing up the struggle. During this period it was alarming to reflect upon the number of in- telligent Americans who got along comfortably without purchasing our paper. We also noticed, with regret, a want of ardor among many new: dealers in the city, who apparently saw no necessity for keeping it on sale. It was our custom, when we discovered a dealer who displayed no specimens of LIFE, to ask him for it. If he had never heard of the paper we expressed surprise at his ignorance of so popular a sheet, This treatment, when applied by ourselves, our friends, and by everybody in the office, often resulted in a permanent foothold at important points. We sometimes discovered, particularly in out of the way quarters, that the dealer had tried to sell it, but had given it up because nobody wanted to buy it. Miller threw himself into his work with an energy and per- severance that had much to do with the final victory. Of the three conspirators, he was the only one, at that time, who possessed, from his own ex- = perience, any practical know- ledge of the business, and this knowledge he brought » MIS TENTH BIRTHDAY. prospect of his living to a green old SAFE AT LAST. to bear with such resolution and activity that the wavering advertiser yielded in spite of himself, and the cautious news- dealer ordered copies which otherwise would never have seen the light. The dollar that was due to Lire came forth from his hiding place when he felt that Miller's eye was on him. In May and June there came a microscopic gain. And this gain, instead of diminishing through the summer months, as we had anticipated, seemed to in- crease, By August the increase was an unmistakable reality. In September the happy discovery was made that Lire was holding its own. There were no profits in sight, but there was no loss. After this we struck a level road to prosperity. With every number the sales increased, not fitfully and with varia- tions, but with big, even strid Lire has ever since behaved as a model boy. He has thriven and ed apace, and there is every and getting in some painful punches upon the ribs of Melancholy and Humbu: He la no claim to perfection, but he means to continue the good fight for Justice, Cheerfulness and Charity 1, A. Mitchell. comicbooks.com