Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1918-01-22
THE EASTER SURPRISE
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

early morning was still driZzling down
into the cheerless streets. Donald, in
the doorway opening his umbrella pre-
paratory to a trip to the moves two
blocks down, stepped aside to let the
girl pass.
He just called her "the girl" for he
didn't know her name yet. She was
practically new to the building, and the
little sign on her door and the one In
the entrance announced modestly,
"Piano Lessons" without any hint as
to the name of the person who did the
teaching.
Donald turned and held open the in
side door for her. THANK you" she
said simply, with ghost of a smile,
and passed on up the stairs.
An uncomfortable feeling took hold
of him, as it always did if he saw
child hurt or baby cry, feeling that
somehow he was responsible for the
fact that someone in the world was not
happy and that it was up to him to do
the best he could to make amends. 1t
was such dear old world. What was
the use Of being sad?
Donald's creed being practical as well
as theoretical, he put his wits to work
during the short walk downtown, and
by the time he came to the dripping
Illuminated arch Of the Lyric he had a
plan mapped out that was calculated
to Danish dull care for the time at any
rate, FROM the brow of the little music
teacher
By Saturday night "the Easter bum
n.y.. as he called himself, had such
layout on his sitting room table that
magazines and cigar jar had been rele-
gated to the floor. He had had no idea
ne was buying so much stuff, and when
the bags and boxes had disgorged their
contents he was appalled,.
But when the bright red and green
basket was trimmed up, with its nest
of green grass, and it's wonderful bur-
den of chocolate eggs, cream eggs and
eggs of all colors, pink rabbits, doWny
chickens and ducks full of bonbons, ne
decided that the artists were not all
dead and that he was going to get this
gorgeous Easter surprise to his sad
hearted little neighbor If he had to
wake the very dead themselves to do
it.
The dumbwaiter was large, holding
laundry baskets with ease. He slid up
the drop door in his own kitchen, pulled
the rope and soon had his freight and
himself slowed comfortably on the lit
tel shelf. A manipulation of the rope,
and the cargo, human and festive, rose
upward through the dark chute.
Donald touched the panel as he rose
so that he would know when he came
to the first door. This he knew to be
his destination. But as fate would
have it he went gliding on up through
the dark, two stories instead OF one
and stopped at the drop door two
floors above.
He disembarked and lifted off his
freight as quickly as he could.
Through the glass door to the fire es-
cape came enough light for him to To-
cate a table. He was in the act OF
laying his precious contributions upon
this when the same light revealed
stout figure in the doorway which pro-
ceeded to yell Justify, "Help, murder,
police!"
Mrs. Wilker, by all that was holy
And he with his gorgeous burden Tor
the poor little piano teacher He could
never explain! He must not be recog-
nized.-
Quick as a flash he sprang to the
door, gave the key a quick turn and
was out with his burdens.
Donald, down one flight, heard WIN
dows opening below. He was before
what he thought was his own back
door. 1t took just an instant to smash
the glass, reach in his hand and turn
the key. Thank heaven! he was
home!
But surprise had not ceased. The
light flashed and girl in blue silk
kimono stood before him staring in
credulously at the gayly decked bas-
ket, his tousled hair and knuckles that
were dripping blood.
"You're hurt ~ were her first words.
"And you've been crying again!" he
said in spite of the fact that his senses
were swimming, and he had no idea
how he, or the girl either, came to be
in this strange kitchen. But when she
got a piece of linen and began to tear
it he realized she was at home and
that he wasn't. But he had reached
his destination at last.
He laid his offerings on the table.
Tim the Eastern bunny!" he ex-
planned incoherently. Then seeing her
justification he told the whole thing
while she tied up his hand.
The little sign 'Piano Lessons" is
gone now and instead there is one
that says, ''This fiat to let" But down.
stairs lives a happy couple that laugh
whenever Mrs. Wilker tells for the
hundredth time how she alone routed
a desperate burglar the night before
Easter.
downright, 1917, by the Mcclure Newspa-
mar Syndicate.)