Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-04-29
AN EASTER CARD:

"No, Jean" said Hester Dalton,
with some energy, ''you need not
read Eternal Goodness to me; L am
not in the spirit for it. When Whit.
tier wrote that 1 suppose he meant
what he said, but what does man
like that whose life had always been
placid and beautiful, know Of life
like mine? What faith l used to
have seems to have dropped from me
like cloak: and 1 am not quite sure
sometimes that / believe IN anything,
or anybody-but you," she added, see
ing the hurt look upon jeans face.
The speaker was young girl. She
was only 10, but her face was old
and sad for her years She came near
being beautiful too, but there was
GOODNESS about her face, as if she had
repressed and held in check all softer
and gentler emotions.
Her sister Jean was as unlike her
as possible No one would think Of
calling her beautiful, and yet her face
had just what Hester's lacked.
Her eyes were gentle, ana Of a soft
hazel, while Hester's eyes were black.
jeans hair, too, just suited the
eyes; it was light brown, and broke
into little rebelIious curlS about her
face. Hester's hair was black, and
she was tall and full of dignity.
Jean hardly knew what dignity
meant, in regart to herself, so sell
dom did she practice it: she was too
small, and so Hester, although the
youngest by three years, always took
the lead.
They were quite alone, these two;
without near relatives, and few
friends
They had but little time for friends
for life with them was very earnest
thing. in which there were no half
holidays.
They had been in Chicago two years
now, ever since the death Of their
father.
Hester had been induced to leave
their home in neighboring town, by
seeing an advertisement in a Chicago
paper for a f1rSt-clasS bOOk-keeper.
She had had very complete educa-
tion, and this was one of the branches
she had mastered, more to please her
father than for any thought that the
knowledge would ever be of use to
her.
She started that day for Chicago,
to answer the advertisement in per-
son. 1t was but short journey, and
in a few hours she stood in the pri-
vate office Of a large dry goods estab-
lishment
She had but short time to walt.
The senior partner Of Metzon & Metzon
was sorry, but they had secured a
book-keeper that morning. Did he
know OF any vacant position of the
kind? He did not; he was sorry to
disappoint her, etc, etc
She went out and telegraphed for
Jean to come. They would have a
better chance here to earn a living;
she knew they could find something
to do, and anyway, they must be to-
gether.
Jean came full of hope, and to-
gether, they had tried to solve this
difficult problem: How to live in a
large city, without friends and very
little money.
1t was more difficult than either of
them had expected, and when after
the first week the money began to
get low, and still there seemed to be
no chance Of getting employment
Hester looked into jeans face and
wondered what they should do. But
the following day Jean got position
as trimmer in small millinery es-
Enlistment How eIated they were
over this piece of good fortune!
Hester, too, had better success, and
secured the place of book-keeper in
book store, at very modest salary it
is true, for the firm was not a large
one.
But together they earned enough
TO keep them in the simple way in
which they were contented to live.
This was two years ago; they had
been busy years, a constant struggle,
with no play-time.
II would give it up, Jean, and 60
away TO the country, for somebody's
hired girl, only if we stop for a week,
we shall starve," said Hester, bit
terly.
"Don't get blue, DEAR" answered
Jean. II am head trimmer now.
and my salary is to be raised next
month"
1t was this same evening, dreary,
drlzzling night in January, that
Hester had slipped, coming home
from work, and sprained her ankle so
badly that Jean became alarmed, and
getting her land-lady to go with her,
she had gone for doctor, one whose
name she had found in the directory,
and who happened to live near.
Fortunately he was at home, and
went back with them at once.
Poor Hester, what hard lessons in
patience she had to learn! What
sombre views of life she took Life,
with its straight answering paths,
its selfish human nature, and its
weary, endless strife for the mighty
dollar. She wondered sometimes
what would become of them. with