CHAPTER THREE Excerpt from Standing Ovation by L. C. Bennett Stern
Tuesday, December 25, 1900 A buzzing mosquito flitting by her ear woke Mae on Christmas morning. She rolled onto her back and attempted kill it by clapping her hands in the air but missed. She glanced at the cuckoo clock through bleary eyes. “Fifteen past ten? It can’t be!” Wide awake now, she’d forget about sleep and get dressed for the day. Mae knew she’d have to hurry. She poured water from the hammered tin pitcher into the washbowl, splashed some onto her face and under her arms and patted herself dry. She ran her still-damp fingers through her hair and then quickly pinned up her auburn curls. In keeping with the holiday, she chose her red and green taffeta skirt. Her new purple shirtwaist would finish the festive outfit.
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