The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-04-20


ing Of materials for her eggs In the
course OF few weeks she was able Il
save enough to get a couple OF dozet
Of the eggs ready To take to the store
In fear and trembling she sought ou
the manager OF the fancy goods de
partment and half hesitatiugly openes
the package before him. lie seemed
interested. aud told her she nigh
leave them.
And Clarissa waited. and as cppor
tunity offered she stole by the fanCl
goods department and looked 10 see 4
her precious Easter eggs weie still
there one day one was missing ant
the next day another was gone Their
day after day went by aud SIN the
eggs rested IN their place Ia the show
case Her heart grew heavier ano
heavier. The two that were sole
would not begin 10 pay her for the
materials she had put into the eggs.
and II they we're not sold what woulc
she dog Il was the day before Faster.
and as she went by the counter In the
morning after delivering iho work
which she had sat up most of the
night to finish. she saw that all the
eggs. save the two which had been
sold. we're sim roposing on the c0an-
ter.
Her heart which had been growing
heavier each day as she saw her eggs
unsoid. now sank TO the lowest Depths
and the bright hope which had stirred
her heart for weeks seemed dead with
in her.
Il was a dreary Easter for the little
seamstress The weather. as though
Ia sympathy With her dro0pine spirits
and fearful eyes, was dark and chill.
The sun had bid his face and the rain
pelted at the panes Of her one small
window In harmony with the impa-
tient and rebellious thoughts which
beat within her heart. The hopes OF
almost a year had been cruelty
crushed. The bright vision OF some
thing better than the plain sewing
which she had been doing for so many
years had vanished. The hope OF
earning a better living was gone.
Poor Clarisssl
The longer she brooded over her dis
appointment the gloomler did the sit
uation appear, and when the clouds
lifted outside and a burst OF sunshine
crept in at the window and fell at her
feet she felt Il a sort Of impudent In
trusion. II she could not be bright
within she did not want to have Il
bright about her. and she arose with
petulant haste TO pull the shade. but
at that instant a knock at the door
startled her and turned her from her
purpose The knock was repeated ere
she could summon courage TO open the
door. and when she did sho could
scarce believe her senses. for there
stood the manager Of the fancy goods
department. His smile treasured her
as he said:
Miss Brown. your Easter eggs
found a ready sale and II we had had
four instead of two dozen we conld
have sold them. Here are six dollars
your share of the profits OF the sales"
Like one in a dream she took the
bills In her cold. trembling hands, and
looked first at them aud then at the
manager She had never before had
so much money at one time. IL al
most seemed as though she was rich
But her reverie was broken by the
voice of the manager. who was saying
something about needing more help
in his department. and would she con-
slider an offer. The sunlight dancing
upon the floor seemed to nod It's APP
proval, the glad sunshine she had but
a moment before wanted to shut from
her vision. But now 1t brought n
new message TO her heart. -he tomb
of her heart where she thought she
had locked a dead hope burst open and
forth sprang a better and brighter
self. new life and new hope lay be-
fore her, and 10 the question of the
manager, again repeated while the be-
wildered girl strove to collect her
thoughts, she at last managed 10 an
swer yes. Clar'ssa had had resur-
rection day.