Life — December 3, 1898 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

Mae Montsevern’s Humbled Hopes. Cuarter I. HERE had been a great bargain sale of chuck steaks the day before, and so the butcher department in Catchem’s Mammoth Emporium was comparatively deserted the morning on which our story opens, Beautiful Mae Montsevern, still tired from the un- paralleled run of yesterday, moved lan- guidly about, dressing some beeves that had just come down from the abbatoir on the roof. “Alas!” murmured our heroine, as she threaded Ler needle with No. 60 black flax, ‘what girl in the world so un- happy as I! Mother, father, sisters and brothers—all on these poor, frail shoul- » LIFE ders of mine. Oh, dear! Even though working in a butcher department, I canz not make both ends meet!" She smiled a little at ber wee, innocent joke; but it was a sad smile, and soon gave way to tears. * Nonsense!” suddenly exclaimed the brave girl, dashing away the salt drops, “Crying, when they have promised you a ‘raise’ at Christmas? Fie upon you, Mac Montsevern!” Cnaprer Il. The sun was just tingeing the East with roscate glow as beautiful Mae climbed the steps to her humble tene- ment home, for she worked on the night shift at the great department store, with hours from tive to five. ‘‘ Hello, mother!” she cheerily called, opening the door and springing into the room. Uncle Sam; HELLO, CHRIS! WHAT HAVE YOU GOT FOR ME THIS TEAR? “NOT MUCH, 64M. YOU HAVE ALREADY SECURED ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU WANTED.” 465 MIS LITTLE EFFECT, A slender woman, with hair still show- ing many traces of refining, came out from behind a screen, “Triplets!” she announced, with a despairing catch in her voice. “Triplets! gasped Mae. Oh, mother! It was hard enough to make my two dollars per week do for seventeen, and now what will it be with twenty! But cheer up!” she cried, wiping away her mother’s tears; ‘I get a ‘raise’ Christ- mas. you know!" Cnaprer IIT. Christmas Day dawned bright and clear. It had been ahard night for Mae, but sorrow and repining were swallowed up in joy at the thought of the promised “raise.” Taking the clevator, she as- comicbooks.com