Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-04-21

ing Of materials for her eggs. In the
course of a few weeks she was able to
save enough to get a couple of dozen
of the eggs ready to take to the store.
In fear and trembling she sought out
the manager of the fancy goods de-
partment and half hesitatingly opened
the package before him. He seemed
interested, and told her she might
leave them.
And Clarissa waited, and as oppor-
tunity offered she stole by the fancy
goods department and looked to see if
her precious Easter eggs were still
there. One day one was missing and
the next day another was gone Then
day after day went by and still the
eggs rested in their place in the show
case. Her heart grew heavier and
heavier. The two that were sold
would not begin to pay her for the
materials she had put into the eggs,
and if they were not sold what would
she do? 1t was the day before Easter,
and as she went by the counter in the
morning after delivering the 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, were still reposing on the coun-
ter.
Her heart. which had been growing
heavier each day as she saw her eggs
unSOld. now sank to the lowest depths
and the bright hope which had stirred
her heart for weeks seemed dead with
in her.
1t was a dreary Easter for the little
MI
in sympathy.with her dropping spirits
and fearful eyes, was dark and chill.
The sun had hid his face and the rain
pelted at the panes of her one small
window in harmony with the fmpa-
tient and rebellious thoughts which
beat within her heart. The hopes of
almost 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 Clarissa!
The longer she brooded over her dis
appointment the gloOmier 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 it sort of impudent in
| trusion If she could not be bright
within she did not want to have it
| bright about her, and she arose with
petulant haste to pull the shade, but
at that instant knock at the door
| startled her and turned her from her
purpose. The knock was repeated ere
she could summon courage to open the
oh oh
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 if we had had
| four instead of two dozen we could
have sold them. Here are six dollars.
your share of the profits of the sales. -
| Like one In dream she took the
| bills In her cold. trembling hands, and
looked first at them and then at the
manager. She had never before had
SO much money at one time. 1t 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 ap-
prevail, the glad sunshine she had but
| a moment before wanted to shut from
her vision But now it brought a
new message to her heart. The tomb
of her heart where she thought she
had locked dead hope burst open and
forth sprang a better and brighter
self new life and new hope lay be-
| fore her, and To the question of the
| manager. again repeated while the be-
/ wildered girl strove to collect her
| thoughts. she at last managed to an
i swer yes. Ciar1ssa had had resur-
rection day.