Life — December 10, 1896 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

THE END OF LEAP YEAR SEASON. A CRISIS. I" was bitter cold; the snow lay in thin drifts on the sidewalks; the glare of the gas-lamps lighted the tiny form of poor little William as he THIS IS NOT SANTA CLAUS. POPULIST WHO VOWED HE WOULD: HIS HAIR OR WHISKERS CUT TILL SII CAME THE BASIS OF NATIONAL CURREN THIS 18 THE trudged through the snow. The wind whistled through his thread- bare jacket—his little blue fingers were like ice; but worse than all was that gnawing pang of hunger that brought the bitter tears to the lad’s eyes; he knew there was nothing in the house toeat. His mother had given up hope and had lain down todie. Still, little William plodded on. Suddenly in a burst of light from an open door an elegantly dressed man stepped forth, clad in a fur coat and cap. As he drew on his warm, fur gloves, something bright slipped from his pocket and rolled glittering to William's feet. It was a ten-dollar gold piece. The stranger, ignorant of his loss, hurried off. A bitter sob shook William's breast; he thought of home, of his dying mother, and how the ten dollars would buy food and fire; then he thought of the rich stranger, and a noble resolve seized him. Stooping down, he grabbed the shining piece, and put it in his pocket. To-day William is a United States Senator. HE man at the bottom of the ladder cannot fall and hurt himself. SS Cie AT il " Wha , see a comicbooks.com