The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-03-26
""ThePrizeE
An Easter Story

shop to purchase.
Presently winsome looking girl and
a very tall young man paused In front
of the window. He looked inquiringly
al her, and she smiled; then they went
in, coming out again in a few minutes
carrying small box.
That evening at the girls home they
opened the package and examined the
egg.
"Shall we break it." she questioned,
"or wait until Easter and see what
happensY
"Oh, let's waitr he answered. Il
don't suppose it will have anything
worth while inside, and it may not
even open, though of course that could
be chemically arranged"
The egg was again put in its box
and laid away where the girl promised
it would remain until the arrival Of
the man on Easter morning.
Easter dawned fair and beautiful,
and while 1t was quite early the man
arrived to find the girl anxiously await
ing him.
They opened the box with care and
gently laid the egg on the table. The
surface of chocolate was as smooth as
when purchased.
For half an hour they watched 1t
closely and were about to give up
when the girl noticed faint crack
across the top. Very slowly it spread
in fact, almost imperceptibly-until.
quite without realizing how 1t happen
ed or when. the two halves of the egg
lay on the table and between them a
small object wrapped in tissue paper.
Very gingerly she tore off the paper
and cried in disgust when she saw
only dirty old silver dollar.
"Still," he exclaimed practically, "a
dollar is a dollar, no matter how old 1t
is" He took it from her and looked at
1t closely, feeling it all over, when the
eagle opened, and the face Of a wo-
man smiled up at him.
"Oh!' Suddenly he raised it to his
lips, kissing it passionately.
The girls expression instantly chang
ed from sweet winsomeness to jeal-
GUS fury, and she snatched the dollar
from him.
How dare you kiss that woman
when you say you love me" She fair
ly Kissed the words. and her angry
eyes devoured the lovely features of
the almost faded picture.
He took it gently from her, holding
it tenderly in his hand, while he put
his arm around her, and there was
wonder in his voice when he spoke.
Strange and improbable as it seems,
that is my mothers photograph"
"How curiousw she murmured from
his shoulder.
"You see how thin and worn the dol
lar is," he continued. "rhat is because
my father carried 1t for ten years, and
then one day absentmindedly he spent
it. He never knew where or how, but
it was gone, and he was never able to
find trace Of it, though don't believe
he has ever given up trying.
l think mother felt 1t until she saw
how it worried father; then she made
light of 1t by saying she wondered
whose husband was carrying her pic
ture now. How glad they will
be-" He raised the eagle to look once
more into the beautiful tender eyes
that, so the girl thought at the mo-
ment, were exactly like his.
81 thought would be afraid of her."
the girl said slowly, "but | won't be
unless she has changed. Has she?'
"Only to become more beautiful. This
was taken before was born.
You will change that way some day,
dear, and I shall watch you as my
father watched her. You do love me.
I know it now" he said with convic-
ton, "for you were jealous when
kissed the picture, and you couldn't be
unless you cared"
Once more she gazed upon the pic;
ture; then, closing the dollar, she slip
ped it into his vest pocket.
"Take it to her, dear,'-she hesitat
ed-"and tell her it came out of prize |
egg, but that girl who hopes some
day to be loved as much as she is sends |
it, and
"Then," he interrupted, you're 60
ing to say yes today?"
"Fm still in doubt about lots of |
things, but do love you, and l want a
beautiful mother to love me, and
"You darlingv' He lifted her off her
feet for second and crushed her to
him.
AS he put her down they both noticed
the egg had closed, and only faint
crack showed where it had been split.
Eyes, It's strange egg" he said in
answer to her questioning, but what
l said about the action Of chemicals
accounts for the closing as well as the
opening. But whatever it is 1t has
served ifs nurnOsa here I'm giving me-