The Card in the Window

The ice in the icebox slowly melted, so it had to be replaced every few days.

That was the job of the iceman, who drove his wagon through the neighborhood selling blocks of ice.

Many families put a special card in the window to show how much ice they wanted.

The card had a different number on each edge, such as 25, 50, 75 or 100 pounds. Turning it so the right number was at the top told the iceman what to bring.

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