The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-10-19
Ruby's Sorrow,
81 wish ! were dead, so there !"

yellow mass at her feet, consisting of
six dozen crushed eggs,
Poor Ruby had been whole month
saving and boarding these treasures
which were to play an important part
in the purchase OF lovely "Eastor
bonnet" aunt Emily had contemptouus-
ly called it, when Ruby had said in
pleading tone, "But, auntie, all the
girls are going TO have pretty new
hats to wear on Easter Sunday
"Easter bonnets, indeed !" snapped
Aunt Emily. "Girls in my time didn't
think eternally about bonnets and
Easter Sunday wasn't made a show
day for bonnets, either"
''If could have the eggs, auntie,"
pleaded Ruby, ignoring her last re-
marks.
"Wcll. take em | don't care, if you
can save enough tween now and then.
You'll have TO have bonnet at any
rate shortly after Easter
Ruby ran joyfully out into the coop
to gather the first instalmcnt, after
giving Aunt Emily an atfectionate lit
tie hug
"That child always gets the best of
me, smiled the spinster Aunt, grimly,
who had been mother and aunt for
many years, nearly eighteen, now, since
her dearest and youngest sister had
died. No one knew whatever had
become of gay, wild, dissipated Will
Brown, Ruby's father whom people
said once had been Emily's lover, and
who had deserted her for the younger
sister, pretty Helen.
The eventful morning had come on
which Ruby's eggs were to be dispos.
ed of. Blithely and gaily she started
forth, neat willow basket on her arm,
her eyes shining like twin stars, and
cheeks rivaling summer roses. "A stray
robin chirped obviously overhead in
the budding, but leafless trees, and
visions of the "Easter hat" tloated be-
fore Ruby's vision, with which the
young curate, who has just settled at
"Caworth village" church, should be
ensnared for all the girls, Aunt Emf
ly said, "were casting Sleeps eyes
that way"Ruby tripped along in the
crisp March air, satisfied with herself
and the whole world, when, alas for
human hopes and joys how tleeting,
Ruby caught her foot in some tangled
weeds, and fell headlong upon her
precious basket of eggs, and for mo.
ment felt as if the whole world had
crushed all the Joy and happiness out
of her young heart and life, In her
great sorrow she gave vent to the ejac-
ulation, 81 wish | was dead" as she
slowly arose from the ruins of all her
(eggs) hopes.
''Can be of any assistance :" asked
some one behind her.
Ruby started and looked around, to
encounter the amused smile on the
young curate's face,
81 hardly think anyone can remedy
this disaster stammered Ruby, dis
mally viewing the mass at her feet.
"Eggsactly," laughed Mr. Howard.
"Dont taught" said Ruby, suddenly
bursting into tears.
Don't cry beg. l will try not to
laugh" he said anxiously.
"How foolish / am said Ruby,
bravely trying to smile; shut have
lost my Easter hat"
Your Easter hat 7" he asked, little
non-plussed.
Yes.
"With those egss I should have
bought it !" sighed Ruby.
"Hem Well, is it absolutely nec-
essary to have Easter hats, Miss
Brown 7"
- "Oh. no y
Still, everyone does, you know" said
Ruby ,gravely.
mo. l did not know it before, Do
you not think you could enjoy Easter
without new hat, Miss Brown T. he
asked, looking into the sweet face
searchingly.
''Oh, yes, / could" replied Ruby,
blushing rosily. think / have been
little vain, and am punished in this
way.
And Ruby laughed quite merrily.
"Not one left to tell the tale" he
answered, joining in her laughter
"Only on my dress and MANTLE
laughinly said Ruby ''that will tell
all.h
"Allow me to remove few fiecks
from your hair
And he bent forward with a dainty
cambria handkerchief, removing the
golden spots from the soft, curling
brown hair; both faces had taken on an
added hue of pink.
"May / walk back with youf" he
asked a little eagerly, as she turned to
go home, after their united efforts to
clean the basket which they partly
succeeded in doing.
Permission was shyly given, and
soon they We're chatting like old friends,
and Ruth was surprised that she felt
no greater disappointment in the loss
of her easter Hat"
Ruby went to church on Easter
Sunday with her winters hat, and the
Rev. Clinton Howard thought the face
so sweet and good beneath it, that all
the new "Easter hats" sank into insig.
nifcance in contrast but Ruby look
ed around at the pretty sprays of rose
buds, mignonette, violets and pansies,
and could not help but feel little pang
of envy. How could she know that
the young curate was not admiring the
pretty faces so sweetly adorned And
how could she know that while the
organ sent forth its grandest music, the
thought had come to him that another