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An Easter Egg
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the\goUl piece did. 1 not belong in that
nmif-frozan lane, Therefore, it was a
prize, and worth showing to Tiis intima'%
friend, old Speckles.
He seized it carefully in liis bill and
trotted across the road to the old barn
beyond. Thy doors were shut and barred,
but Toazer knew his way through a gap
in the stout foundations and a hole in
Hie broken floor to the big haymow.
There, in a small -valley of hay very near
the peaked roof, old Speckles sat upon
her nest, dreaming away the time re
quired to .'ay her daily egg.
As Teazer approsiehed. announcing him
self by a series- 1 of deep clucks in his
tl 'oat. Sp ekles oi»ened her eyes and
asked:
“What brings mou here, good friend?"
Before hiaking reriy, Teazer laid the
gold upon the lifiv in front of toe old
hen and eyed it thoughtfully. The sun
came 'in through a crack of the roof and
made the round bit of metal glitter
brightly.
“It's a present; for you, my dear,” said
the rooster, courteously. “I found it in
the lane, and thought you might like to
have it."
“What*use»has'it?” asked Speckles, cu
riously.
“I cannot toll'; but I’ve discovered it is
not good to ent.” ho answered. “Still, it
is bright and pretty. 1 think.”
“Vos; it is pretty,” returned Speckles,
looking upon the gleaming coin. “I
thank von very' much for your kindness,
friend Teazer." *
Then the rooster) strutted proudly away.
thinkii\g he had done a gracious and
kindly .met; and the speckled hen. who
was mere! pleased than she had let Teazer
discover, sat upon her nest and feasted
her eyes with long looks at the pretty
treasure. When another hen came near
th - nest. Speckles slid the bit of gold
under her wing where it was safely hid
den. She did not care to let gossip into
the secret .of Iter new possession.
When at ilength she left the nest there
•were three white eggs In the little hol-
lcw, and utndernorth them was tucked
the gold pittco. S]» ekles had no pockets
tn her feathered gown and could not car
ry it with her as old Jeff loved to do.
For several days 'the rich hen kept her
tn asure hidden in .lwr ne'-'t .bringing it
forth til times to watch the sunbeams
waken its g tittering surface into life.
But she soon grew thoughtful over the
responsibility of her precious charge, and
v unii.Tui gravely will at she would better
do with it.
"Any day now.” she reflected, “the
children may .come searching for hidden
nessts of eggs, and then they will find
my. beautiful tr visure and carry it away.
Or that horrid same rooster, \\io fights
so desperately witli friend Teazer, may
eatV li me looking at my prize and steal it.
Or :be other hens, who are all selfish,
may rnh the nest while 1 am gone. I
have .enoyod my wealth for s.* era] h|-
P.v d.-tys. so now 1 believe it will he wise
to put it where no prying eyes will ever
discover it.”
go wthen she fashioned her next egg
to Jay A.i the nest she put the shiny gold
coin' inside it, where it was concealed
from siglit by the thieik white shell.
It is tile story of this* egg I have under
taken to tell, and now you know how it
■happened! that within a. large, pretty egg
found in old Speckles' nest was so re
markable* a thing as a five-dollar gold
piece.
Jimmie knew nothing of it, of course,
when hi' climbed tile haymow and dis
covered isovon eggs in the nest. Old
Speckles fluttered near by. scolding indig
nantly at sight of this dreadful robber.
but Jimmie paid no attention to her pro
tests. lb- pocketed all seven of the eggs
and carried them gleefully to his mother,
who placed them in a yellow bowl on the
kitchen shelf.
Now. although tiiis particular egg con
taining the gold piece had at .last started
upon its adventures, who could guess
what its fate was destined to be? As it
lay in the yellow bowl it looked for all
the world like any one of its fellows,
and before long it was covered with
many eggs brought from other nests in
the big barn.
Surely some kindly fate 'was hovering
over that yellow bowl. Kggs were boiled
fur breakfast next morning, but the wom
an's fingers failed to grasp that particu
lar egg to put in the kettle. Mrs. Smith-
ers came from the village to buy a dozen
eggs for her custard pics; but when they
were counted into her pail the <-gg with
the golden treasure was not among them.
Kggs w re brought in and eggs were
taken away, until Jimmie's mother hap
pened to think:
“Those eggs at the bottom of the dish
must be getting stale. I'll color them up
for Master, for the children keep their
pretty colored eggs instead of eating
them, and it won't matter whether they
are fresli or not."
So. ns Easier Sunday was very near,
the woman emptied the yellow dish and
boiled all the eggs in a big kettle. The
egg containing the treasure was among
them, but the boiling only served t!>
wedge the piece of gold more firmly be
tween the white ami the yolk.
Then Jimmie’s mother got her Easter
lives ready to color the eggs, and the first
one she picked up to try chanced to lie
the treasure-egg. But she had made her
dyeing liip.ids too thick and ton dark.
S' instead if tinning the shell a dainty
lavender color, as she had intended, the
egg took a dirty brown hue that was not
at all pretty to look at. Therefore, the
woman thinned her dyes and colored the
r< mai ling eggs most I eg itil’illv; hot iliil
first dark brown one was provokingly
ugly, and not fit to be displayed with the
others.
Jimmie’s mother was a frugal woman
and shrewd withal: so she said: “1 will
give this dirty-colored Easter egg to old
Jeff Grasper, for he holds a mortgage on
our land, and the present may lead him
to he easy with us when we are not ready
with the interest money.”
So Jimmie was sent to carry the egg
to old Jeff with his mother’s compliments
and Master greetings.
Old Jeff took it, of course, for he never
refused to take anything he could g"t.
But he stuck up his nose at its dismal
coloring.
“What an ugly Easter egg!" he snarled.
“I'll pay that woman back for sending
me such a gift. But I mean to peel it
and e.a it in spite of its color; for since
T carelessly lost that gold piece 1 must
economize until I make up for it. As
I’m not especially hungry today the egg
will do for my supper.”
But just as he was about to crack the
shell (and find, of course, his gold piece
inside itj a suspicious thought cam!) to
him.
“S'pose it’s poisoned!” he muttered,
nervously. “She might want to make
'way with me because she owes me
money. It’s a queer color for an Master
egg, that's stir", an’ I’d better be care
ful. Guess I'll send it to the minister's
children, an' that’ll make ’em think I'm a
good Christian!”
Congratulating himself on this bright
idea, he sent he egg on Master morning
to the parsonage, where the minister's
children, having many gaily colorou 'eggs
of their own, would pay no attention
to it.
"It's as dark and ugly as old Jeff him
self.” declared one of the little ones; so
the minister gave it to the sexton to
carry home to his wife after service.
"These little thoughtful kindnesses,
that cost nothing, do a j.rcat dial of
good In the world,” said the minister to
himself, and the egg might have won
dered if that was the reason it was being
passed around so cheerfully.
The sexton's wife was o!d and didn't
care for Master eggs herself, and her
eyesight was poor and prevented iier
from discovering how ugly in color the
egg was. But sue had a kind heart, and
remembered lliai in a neighboring cot
tage lived a little girl so poor tnal she
would have no eggs or flowers or gifts
of any kind to main the glorious lesuvai
ot faster.
si; sue wrapped the egg in a paper
and wrote "For .Nan on me outside and
tottered over to the cottage, wnere sne
placed the gift upon a sneii vvitnout tir
ing seen oy any one. ’mat wasn’t Jim-
n.,r s motin-r’s rtiq, nor tin- mi nsters
way, but it was her way, nevertheless.
Jnan was in the little bed room with
her sick, liail'-starved mother when the
sexton’s wife made her stealthy visit, tor
the worst ot their days of privation were
lull upon them. But presently she came
out into the living room, and her eyes
were wet With tears.
■’Oh. if 1 only had money to buy things
for mamma! sobbed the child. 1
should be so happy then—oh, so happy!
Berhaps if l asa again tile good God to
heap me, lie will imd a way.
So she knelt down by a stool and prayed
witn all her anxious heart lor a way
to comfort and nourish her dear mamma,
and as she rose and wiped the tears
lrom her eyes she saw the parcel lying
upon the sheif with “For .Van" written
upon it in awkward letters.
“Oh, nfamma!" she cried, running into
the little bed room, “I’ve found a pres
ent!"
The invalids trembling ling'-rs undid
the parcel.
“it s an Easter egg," said the mother,
a trace of disappointment in her voice,
although she told herself she had no
reason to expect a better gift for her
child, “it is not very pretty to look at.
Nan, but it is worth much to us, for it
can he eaten. Take it, dear, it will give
you noth nourishment and strength.”
“Then you must eat it yourself, mam
ma," exclaimed the child, brightening to
think here was food for her dear one.
• you need it much more than 1 lt .. Aim
she broke the shell and began peeli
it from the smooth, white meat of tn
egg-
'l hen she ran for a plate and a knif •
to slice the egg with, and at the s 1
slice the knife struck something hard.
Oh, yes, my story is now tol# Vo;;
know all about the gold pic e Nan found
and can guess it was no brighter than
the girl's face as she held the treasure
before the eyes of h"r mother and realized
all the good things so much money woif.il
buy.
Indeed, it enabled tIp- poor woman to
regain her health, so that she was after
wards competent to earn a living for
herself and her child. Few who are not
poor and helpless can understand what i
little money will do if it comes at the
right time; and it came at the right time
to Nan and her mother. I almost think
Jeff, had he known all. would imc h ; vo
bemoaned the loss of the gold pioc m
that day when he shook his list in a hun
gry child’s face.
Mast summer a friend of mine over
heard old Speckles talking to her brood
of chicks, and this is what she said:
“Once, my darlings, I owned a beautiful
treasure, given me i>v that s u."
Teazer, who was made into a pot pie by
Jimmie’s mother last Sunday. It was a
brilliant, glittery thing, and very pretty
t,, look upon when the sunbeams struck
it. But 1 foolishly hid it insidi on< d
my eggs, and Jimmie robbed me of my
treasure and my egg at .the. same ; *ue.
Bovs are very cruel, my darlings.
But Nan often said, with hearty em
phasis: “God bless whoever put that
gold-piece into the Easter egg!
perhaps Speckles was blessed, after all,
in the love and obedience of her twotv ■
fluffy chickens.
Some Other Way _ — —
Synopsis of Preceding
Chap ters
Mrs. Isabel Weyland, a widow, is threat
ened with the deln ors’ prison. Her chief
creditor, Mrs. Brymer, suggests a way
out of the difficulty, marriage with a.n
Imprisoned debtor, who for a paltry sum
will assume Mrs. Wcyland’s debts also,
thus relieving her .under the English law
as it then was. Ho- proves to be a young
lawyer, McNamara and in pity she pays
ills small debt from what little there is
left of her fortune—not enough to free
her—sets him free and agrees to marry a
criminal condemned to uie in three days
as the means to obtain;! the desired free
dom.
An attempt is made to induce her to
vied a negro murderer, he outraged wom
anly instinct repels, a id she leaves die
prison under the protection of the parson.
Spending her last penny toward discharg
ing her debts, she flees toward London's
suburbs, to escape her other unsatisfied
creditors. She encounters a rivh, hut in
sane, old gentleman, who imagines her to
lie his dead granddaughter, and will not
permit nor t" depart. Here she takes up
an ideal abode, sale from the pursuit of
i i vengcful creditors.
Oliver McNamara, released from debt
ors’ prison by Isabel’s generosity, begins
the practice of law, at which he is suc
cessful. His earnest efforts in behalf of
hope! ss inmates of debtors’ prisons at
tracts the attention of General Ogl'-
thorpe. who is pushing in parliament a
scheme permitting the release and emi
gration of debtors to Georgia, and
a grant of 50,000 pounds for the
founding of a colony. Together
the young anil older men get the
measure through parliament. In consult
ing with a lawyer, a friend of Isabel's
father. Oliver thoughtlessly displays her
ring. The lawyer instantly recognlz »s it
and declares that Isabel is the legatee i f
her father in the sum of £2(1.000. Isabel
is also left a large sum by the death of
the eld man whose granddaughter she
impersonates, She learns of McNamara
and General Oglethorpe and arranges to
make the journey to Georgia tn place of
a young woman who has suddenly died.
tp
CHAPTER. SEVEN
HO shall describe the feel-
ings of that emigrant
band as they stood upon
deck watching the shores
of old England recede in
the hazy distance?
For some, indeed, the
country of their birth
was but a tyrant who
had seized upon them in
their day of misfortune
and condemned them to
worse than penal servitude. These
surveyed the lessening shore with un
mitigated delight and then turned their
faces westward o’er the sea in even-
growing hope and confidence.
Others in whom the love of country
boat strong, gazed with misty eyes at
the shores they were leaving forever
and felt a sudden shrinking lrom the
new scenes awaiting them.
Some were sadly indifferent, hope
and spirit quite crushed by all they
had undergone. Others were openly
vindictive without joy or gratitude in
the change.
Among these latter was one remark-
ride for her strong, dark face, a wom
an prematurely gray and broken in
health, hut yet strong of will and spirit.
Her scowling, lowering countenance
and sharp tongue had caused her com
panions to shrink away from her. She
had been for some months in the pris
on and for the last few weeks had been
on the b or side, subjected to hunger,
cold and disease. She now stood alone
frowning fiercely at her native shores.
Near her stood a couple who seemed!
heart-broken at their banishment. The
man had his arm about his wife’s
drooping figure and occasionally plead
ed with her to go below.
"Come, Alice, dear, you are too weak
for this strain. We are fairly off; let
us go.”
‘Oil, John, that little strip of land
holds all that is left of my baby, ray
Lizzie. I-et me see the last of it. Oh,
Lizzie, how could mol her ever consent
to go so far away and leave you there
in the cold ground? They tell me
there are sunshine and flowers where
we are going, but what will they be
to me without my baby girl?”
Poor John o?ily clasped her the
closer. Ho had long ago exhausted his
small stock of argument.
A new figure appeared on deck; a
fair and sweet young lady who had
stayed below until all danger of recog
nition from shore was past. She now
approached t he weeping woman and
laid a gentle hand upon her arm.
"This is Lizzie's mother?” she asked
sottly.
Tlie woman looked up eagerly.
•‘Did you know her? My Lizzie? My
darling girl?” Isabel road the tone.
“I have heard much about her,” she
answered. "What a dear girl she was—
how pretty and sweet and loving. Will
you come and sit down and let us talk
a little. I would like to hoar more.”
Sim drew the woman away, and
John, standing bareheaded, gave his
wife thnnkfuly into such care.
No oar heard the tender words spok
en in that hour; no one knows by what
divine instinct of maternity the child
less woman road and hoalod the bleed
ing h n art of the bereaved mother. Yet
within an hour Alice stood looking
out over the waves, her fare turned
toward the land of promise, and when
John came up. Half hesitant. Isabel
gave him a reass”ring smile and slip
pod away.
The wife raised her face and ho
kisser! her tenderly.
“She is glad to have us go. dear.”
she whispered softlv. “even if she can't
he with us herself. You know how
glad she was. John, and it was rot for
herself. Our Lizzie was never selfish.”
“Our Lizzie.” not “my baby.” “my
girl:” he might share her sorrow as ho
shared the loss.
He answered with earnest tender-,
ness:
“She never thought of herself at all.
the dear lass. She was like her mother
in that.”
“No. no." Alice protested eaeeriv. “I
have been selfish, hut I'll trv not tn ho
“ Wetland— Weyland. The name seems strangely familiar. Wait, let me place it "
again. She was your daughter as well
as mine, and though you made no out
cry. I know your heart has bled.”
“God knows it lias!” he breathed.
And I have not thought of you at
all, while all your care has been for
me,” she whispered brokenly.
He answered by a mute caress.
“I know I.izzic is glad to have us go>”
she went on. almost cheerfully. “Could
she be content in heaven with us in
that vile place? We’ll make our home
as happy as possible and we can bur
sure that Lizzie’s home is far, far hap
pier. I’ll try not to gruuge heaven to
our darling any longer.”
When Isabel turned to leave the sor
rowing couple together she noticed the
gray-haired woman standing motion
less and still alone, her eyes fixed on
the horizon where land was last seen.
Something in her air seemed strangely
familiar, yet Isabel could not remem
ber where she had ever known thatl
pale, wrinkled creature whose clothes
hung upon her thin form in disorder
and whose grizzled hair was untidy in
the extreme.
She paced slowly by the lonely figure
two or three times, but the aspect of
the woman was so foroutding. so ob
livious to the present and all its affairs
that she found her friendly impulse to
speak dying away. Finally the woman
faced her, and waited her approach,
evidently meaning to speak. Isabel
hastened her steps with a smile.
“So you’re here, too, my fine lady!”
cried the woman in bitter triumph.
Isabel locked at her in surprise.
“You know me. madame?’
“Oh. yes. I know you. hut it seems
you don’t return the compliment. Never
minu, 1 am not courting recognition;
just now.”
Isabel gazed at her for a moment in
perplexity. There was something in
the voice more than in the face. Final
ly with a horrified shock a name
sprang to her lips.
“Mrs. Brymer.”
“yes; what the laws of England
have left of me.”
“I am sorry, indeed, to see you thus.”
“Beautiful and consistent law it is,”
tbo dressmaker went on characteristic
ally ignoring interruption, “that shuts
you up where you can’t do that very
thing which you are punished for not!
doing. I could have made a new start
and paid my debts if they had let me
alone. As it was, I must lay and rot
in their vile prison, and what were my
creditors benefited?"
Isabel could but think of her tirade
against debtors. She could find no
kind word to say and she would not,
utter one that savored of reproach.
"My friends promised to see me re
leased, but once out of their way their
promises were easily forgotten. I
would have tried the plan I devised for
you—ungrateful that you were!—hut I
put it off until my funds were spent and
I had no bribe to offer. How long were
you snut up?”
Isabel read the woman’s nature well
enough to ignore this question.
"We- are going to a new home, now,”
she saitl, brightly, “and we will al!
have tne chance of a new start. Lot
us be thankful tor that.”
"Much good the chance will do
me,” said Mrs. Brymer, scornfully. “A
loot could see that I’ll not profit by
any new start long.”
She grasped Isabel's wrist firmly
with one skeleton hand and glared)
into her eyes hungrily.
“You don’t know what it is to have
death stalking by your side, watching
and mocking at every mouthful you
oat. dancing on your heart in your
sleep and whispering—whispering—i
always in your oa r !“
She (brew Isabel still closer and
hissed savagely: “And to know that
the only way to escape him is to fly
to his arms!”
She pushed the girl rudely away.
There, go! i ve said enough. I
hate the sight of your youth and
stiength. Don t speak to me again-”
That night there was a erv from the
watch. “Man overboard!” and when
Isabel heard it her first thought was
for the wretched woman. Her premo
nition was right;, the. poor creature,
from \ ort dread ol impending death
had fled to his embrace.
CHAPTER EIGHT
After her long months of seclusion.
Isabel found the life on shipboard in
expressibly interesting. The great
family of 116 souls presented an end
less variety of face and character,
and there was scarcely one person in
In Four Installments
PART THREE
whom she had not at least some little
personal interest before the long voy
age was ended
Her interest was warmly returned,
the lady’s bright vivacity and buoyant
hopefulness infusing confidence into
timid hearts and sweetening the most
embittered of her companions.
The morning after their sailing
dawned in perfect beauty, but the ma
jority of 1he travelers were laid by in
helpless misery. To Isabel's own sur
prise and delight she suffered no in
convenience, but trod the swaying
deck with joyous feet.
She stood alone looking over the
sunlit waters when a gentleman ap
proached. He was of middle age,
perhaps fifty, and one glance at his 1 ,
face won her interest. Grave and
thoughtful though it was, kindness
beamed from the sparkling eye. and
his whole demeanor spoke a gentle re
gard for others, that quickly impressed
all who conversed with him.
“I believe I have not had the pleas-
ureof meeting this member of our fam
ily.” he said smilingly, as he came up
to her with most courteous saluta
tion.
“General Oglethorpe?" said Isabel.
“I am sure it is.” and she frankly gave
him her hand. “I am much indebted
to you for allowing mo to come with
your passengers.”
“O, you are the young lady who
came in poor Lizzie Ellis’ place. I
am. pleased indeed to have so charm
ing an addition to our number. Tin so
unfortunate folk will not be the worse
for a bright face and a light heart’
among them.”
Isabel acknowledged the compli
ment with a sweet, bright smile that
accepted the words in the spirit they
were spoken.
‘I will do my best' to deserve the
privilege and your words,” she said.
o't will be doing me a kindness if
you will point out to me where I can
be of use or cheer to our companions."
Her frankness and evident sincerity
greatly pleased the general. Front
that moment they were friends.
“I am afraid I must ask you to tell
me your name.” he said presently.
“You come in our passenger li«t as
Lizzie Ellis, but of course you do not
care to bear her name.”
“I am Mrs. Wevlar.d.” she said.
“Isabel Weyland I have been a widow
for some years.”
He repeated the name musingly.
“Weyland—Weyland. Tim name
seems strangely familiar. Wait; let
me place it."
Perhaps you knew my husband. I
wonder If von know my fainer. Steph
en Dunstan?”
At the words h n turned and bent his
gaze upon her with an expression that
disturbed her.
“Are you Stephen Dunstan’s daugh
ter?" he said in a tone of suppressed
excitement.
(To be continued.!
III®