St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-13
AN EASTER EGG.


In a very little cottage, in little village
across the river, lived-and do still-a little
woman and a little girl. They were mother
and daughter. The mother was Mrs. Clara
Samson-a perfectly ridiculous name for
such woman, but productive of no end of
small jokes, and therefore useful in its way,
for laughter is beyond price i'll its good effect
on the temper and digestion; and every one
laughed at Mrs. SIMPSONS name and the
jokes it gave rise to. The little girl was
Kitty Sampson and, if her mothers name
might be thought a misft, certainly nothing
could have been more suitable for Kitty than
iust-Kitty She was round and plump,
with soft white skin, and the fuffiest hair,
all tumbling round her face and down on her
shoulders. Two roguish eyes, trimming
over with fun and play, looked out from the
tangle of fluffy curls, and she was never still
for five minutes at a time, except when she
was asleep. And then, as she lay curled up
like Il ball. soft and warm, she seemed more
than ever like aktten.
Mrs. Samson was widow, but not very
poor. She owned the little cottage, and
supported horself and Kitty by doing fine
sewing. Under these circumstances, she
ought to haTe.'.5een pale and pretty, with
sad, sweet smile; but, as a matter of fact,
she was nothing of the sort She was rosy
and buxom, with no beauty to speak of, save
the bright eyes and fine color that come from
good health: and as to her smile, though she
had borne her share of trouble, it continued
almost as merry as Kitty's.
Stop moment, though! she had one beau
ty, but you must be left to guess it, with just
this hint to help you: A specially clever
joke had once been made on the subject, by
a very waggish q had almost written wiggish?)
person, who declared her to be well-named,
after all since her strength lay III this one
beauty Mrs. Samson herself was proud of
it. She had blushed at the joke and applaud
ed it, and she had smiled ON the joker; he
was the village barber.
Although the shining needle, that grew
brighter from constant use, was the only
weapon with which rs.aSamson fought the
battle of life, the littld mother seldom wor-
ried about the future. Only when the wealth
er grew very cold, and fuel was very dear in
deed, she sometimes made q satirieal allusion
to life assurances, at which Kitty ways
looked full of wonder and interest, without
in the least knowing why. But Mrs. Sam
son knew. Her John had insured his life
for the benefit of his wife and child, and by
hard pinching and saving they had managed
to pay the premiums as they fell due, all but
the last On that fatal day, John Samson
had set out to work as usual, and had carried
with him the money to pay the premium, Cue
at twelve O'Clock precisely. That day there
was an explosion in the zinc works where he
was employed, and in the afternoon he was
brought home dead. The money he had
taken with him to renew the policy was still
in his pocket, and the policy had run out two
hours before he died.
For weeks the poor widow did not think of
these things, except to feel grateful that the
money had not been put to its original use,
for it was their whole savings, and just paid
the funeral expenses. But when times were
hard that winter she was refused; and when
the justice OF the refusal was pointed out to
her she accepted the circumstances, being
reas0nable-for a woman. She did think,
however, that, all things considered. the
amount of the the premiums paid ought to
be returned to her: and she was never re-
concled to the company's refusal to see the
matter in the same light. Her ideas Of bust
ness were very feminine, and her wisdom
| for the future was based on a too literal be-
lief in the admonition to take no heed for
the morrow. Dut she YVES a happy little
woman and busy little woman, till one day
il midwinter she slipped on the ice, fel! on
her arm, and sprained her wrist very badly.
To make things worse, it was her ''sword-
arm as she called it, and by the effort to
use her weapon too soon, and going out il
/ the bitter January cold, she brought on a
! sharp attack of rheumatism, which settled in
the sprained wrist and disabled her for the
! winter. All her poor savings, small enough
anyway, were quite gone now; and, unless
/ mother and daughter were to starve, every
thing else must 90 too. So they went, one
! by one, to the pawn-shop; first: everything
that was superiiuous, then every article that
was not an absolute necessity.
At last nothing remained but the bed, a
chair, the sewing machine, the stove, and a
few dishes for cooking and eating purposes.
Then came day when even these last were
superfuous, for there was no fuel to make
fire or food to eat. Mrs. Samson was pale
enough now, and if she had smiled it would
have been a sad enough smile; but she only
wept; it was so hard to look at Kitty, and see
what lean and hungry Kitty she had De-
come. 1t was Good Friday, too; and, if fast
ing could do it, Kitty and her mother were
very 'High Church. -
How slow the hours dragged. But why
wish them shortened! There was no hope OF
bread on the morrow. They must starve or
beg.
Mrs. Samson looked on her poor pale child,
and resolved on one last effort-and after
that9 Yes; she would beg, if need be; but
Kitty should not starve!
Darling she said, "could you run over
to Mister Brian, and ask him to come here!'
Eyes, mamma. Pm not SO very hum
mean cold"
''Tell him that-tell him that your mother
says yes" And Kitty tied on her hood,
glad of the run, for 1t warmed her; and, fam
! ished though she was, her heart leapt as she