Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-29


them Independent and quite content
This had meant the dyeing of all her |
old time finery. and that was just why |
the Easter hat was problem. A yer.
| liable riot of dyeing to meet the de-
| mands of mourning had exhausted even
we'll stocked wardrobe trunks. hat |
boxes and all. She would simply have
to buy complete spring hat
| This meant $40 ut least. and Marjorie |
realized that with her present knowl
edge of values. to say nothing of the
store discount she could duplicate fOI
$40 any hat for which she had paid
$50 or SO in the old days. So she
viewed with great satisfaction a roll
of crisp delar bills. ton in all. which
she had saved for just such an emer-
gency.
So matters stood when her mother
was seized with the grip. The doctors
ordered calf's foot jelly. white grapes
and eggs and sherry.
Four days before Easter and the ten
dollars had dwindled TO five. She com
| promised on smart sailor with three
toned ribbon bows TO match. She would
buy it on the Inorrow And the next
day word came to the store that one Of
the. cash girls must be operated on ut
once or lose her hearing. Marjorie's
name headed the subscription list.
This afternoon in Il frenzy or despair
she, bought the three toned ribbons.
and the next morning the charwoman
Of their little cottage sent word that
her baby had died and there was not
a cent in the house. Marjorie had just
closed her purse when the poStman
handed her, a square envelope address
ed in chrography which she recognized
ut glance.
An opera star was to sing at the
procathedral on Easter morning. Car
ter wrote Admission was by card
only. and he was fortunate enough to
nave secured two Would she accom-
pany him to the Easter service?
Marjorie's one vulnerable point was
music. There WAS no time 10 answer
the letter by mail. but that inerni,s
while young Douglas WAS signing a
credit check for her and the other
clerks were busy farther down the
aisle she said to him:
1T was so kind of you To think OF
me. | do love music and have never
heard Nine -
I'll call for you IT TO-" he said. with
most businesslike flourish of his pen
Gil. as Il cash girl came running up
And Cupid laughed for the first time
In many days.
That night the deluge. In Yer delight
at the prospect of hearing wonderful
music Marjorie had forgotten the dis
tinctly feminine problem of an Easter
+ hat Laying forth the wonderful new
blue green bows she ransacked every
trunk IN the house for Il straw shape
that was even possible. But dye and
Z rain had done their worst. NJ shape
D was forthcoming. In twelve hourr
+ Carter Douglas would call-and sine
I would he hatless.
r I'm worse than three dollar n
! week cash girl. OF course can go in
\ my. winter hat. 1t may turn cold and
u stormy"
Easter morning proved balmy and
suniit beyond her greatest fears. She
y looked at the velvet hat. its black
: feathers the worse for various dyeings
I. and her feminine pride was touched
l. She spent the last Ia cents of her ter
e dollar millinery fund to send small
messenger with word to the Douglas
] mansion on the hill that she was too II
I. to attend the services at the procatho
e dral.
u 1t did seem as If never In all her life
II had she wanted to go out as she die
e hat day The little cash girl in the
/! hospital would be glad 10 see her: til,
: harwoman's heart WAS heavy and hel
!! children would no doubt enjoy som,
u andy Easter eggs. But again prid,
forbade. She would live out her mis-
y ,rable lie
r At in the afternoon. glancing gu
D the front window. she gave gasp U
At dismay and ran from the living room
y leaving her mother to admit the tall
u correctly CARRIED Carter Douglas.
= few minutes later the puzzled littl,
/, mother came upstairs.
/ He says he's so sorry to bear, yo'
| are i'll. and. oh. Marjorie. such Easte
lilies as he has brought! Just Xix
when your poor dear father lived. Blu
j YOU didn't tell me you were i'll. oh
my dear, YOU are so self sacr
Y ficing'-
Marjorie fuffed her hair and patte'
her nervous mothers cheek in whirl
wind of unpleasant emotions. The
suddenly she flung up her head an
ran lightly downstairs. pausing in tn
ID doorway before the astonished youn
man. a vision of slim. graceful. health
n young womanhood.
II owe you an apology. Mr.. Douglas.
she said. with a lovely flush. Il wa
not ill-just foolishly proud about
NJ trifle. IL failed to make connection
with an Easter hat and So
N Carter Douglas had wisdom beyon
{ his years. He did not laugh. He jus
dropped the Easter lilies on the oil
mahogany table which had been in til
y Davis family for seven generations an
took both her hands
N 81 don't care about the music.
x don't care about anything except tina
at last l am here with you. You ar
the most wonderful girl. The old ma
III spl- 1,rr fs..l.l