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Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT
Newspaper Page Text
HER EASTER RÖNNET. M By CLARISSA MACKIE. [Copyright, 1912, by American Press Asso ciation.) LEFT A SCOT ! wn* saying her prayciv iu her cusiom;ir\ audible manner 'J'liat is why A tun bel Peering hap pened to overin-.n them as she knori< ed at Eieeta's sid door at 7 o'clock in the in li ning "Lord, Electa was saying plain tively. "for live years I've asked yon for a new bonnet to wear to church and up to non i nin't had no shadow of an answer How am I going to church on Sundays if 1 don't have a now bonnet, and how can I buy a new bonnet when it takes every cent of that pension money to buy 1 1 read and butter and contribute to the missionary society? Lord, don't you reckon I need a new bonnet more than them heathen needs flannel pet:I coats? Lord. I still have faith. 1 be lieve I shall have that Easter bonnet this year. Amen!" When Electa opened the door to Amabel's repeated knocking her face still wore tiw exalted look of one who had just with,Pawn from spiritual com munion. "Good morning, Amabel." site said dreamily. "You come after your yeast ?' "Yes, Miss Electa," returned pretty Amabel, extending her pitcher. "Isn't it a beautiful morning?" "It's a pretty day." murmured Elec ta, retiring into her pantry with the pitcher. Her yeast was famous throughout the village, and the sale of it, together with the $100 annual iu come which she called her "pension." provided her table. She owned the cottage. "Mother's making doughnuts today, •nd she says she will send some over." said Amabel ns she went out. "That's kind of tier, Amabel, but she needn't send them. I'll get them when i come to the missionary meeting. It's goiug to be to your house today, ain't it?" "Yes. and I must hurry, for 1 prom ised to make a cake for refreshments." and Amabel hurried away. Amabel Heering was something of a gossip, but never an unkindly one, for she possessed a warm heart and an tin selfish disposition. Of course she told her mother about Electa 's prayer for a new bonnet "It's too bad she can't have one. mother." declared Amabel as they worked together in the kitchen of the Leering home. "That old horsehair thing she's been wearing for years is nothing lit to wear now!" "It's h sight, hut what can any one do with Electa? She's as poor as a church mouse and as proud as Lucifer. J expect she'd lie mad as a hatter if she knew you'd overheard her praying for a bonnet." "1 don't know as it's any more fool ish to pray for a bonnet than it is to ask for a good crop of corn or for re uewed health or tor happiness," said Amabel, beating eggs briskly. "If an Easter bonnet means happiness for Electa Scott she ought to have it!" "How is she going to get it?" asked Mrs Peering. "Why. can't the missionary society send her one? Site's contributed enough to tlie heathen out of her little income. 1 should think. Why don't you put It up to the other ladies, mother?'' "I don't believe they'd do it. Amabel It wouldn't be in accordance with the nature of the society to give anything so frivolous and flighty ns bonnets, but I'll mention it if I can get a chance before Electa comes." "I'll do more than that." declared Amabel enthusiastically. "I'll corner each one when they're taking off their things in the bedroom and ask them to think it over. I've made up my mind that Electa Scott is going to have a new Easter bonnet if 1 have to give her my new lint and wear my old one —so there!" Mrs. Peering smiled nt lier daugh ter's ardor, and slit* hoped that there would be no test of Amabel's generös Ity in the matter of new lints The Decriugs were very well to do and. like many other people in the prosper ous farming community, had plenty of clothes for the season, and she could hardly understand bow Electa Scott could make such n matter of impor tance of a new bonnet ns to carry t; to the Lord in prayer. In fact, Mrs Peering felt rather shocked about it It proved that the other members oi the missionary society felt the same way about it. No matter how badly Electa Scott might want an Easter bonnet, and they all admitted that hers was wretchedly shabby, it scarce ly seemed delicate to mention such n trivial matter to the Und. "Well," cried the exasperated Amn bel at last, "if you won't do anything, please remember that I've told you about this in the strictest secrecy, and if it ever leaks outside it will come from one of the members of fids socio ty. I'll see that Electa Scott has an Easter bonnet. My last year's straw is perfectly good." "That's generous of Amabel consid ering how fond she is of clothes," mur mured Mrs. James Harmou, whose sou was "keeping company" with Amabel Peering. Amabel reddened and went to an swer the doorbell, for It fortunately happened that Electa was the last to arrive, and as she admitted her the girl noticed that the thin little spin aler was aglow with excitement. "Ladies." she cried as soon ns she o in of lo of 1 the that ers of had ing. been year she She I busy len the all. io be by any and nhle ed ami she of that on was with look to been Rilk It over old for As Into top small cels 0 GRICULTURE IN TREASURE STATE i M Figures of United States Government Show Treasure State Has Under gone Remarkable Transformation From Grazing Community to Empire of Farming in Last Two Years — Evolution Has Added Millions of Dollars to the State's Total Wealth, LNTAXA is amazing govern-! ment statisticians in its evo-1 lution from a stock raising state to an agricultural empire. The transformation lias been nothing short of marvelous in the last two! years, when figures are compared. They mark the rapid passing of the range era. The Montanan, of course, J realizes this more than the easterner • because he is upon the ground and sees the change that is going on under the magical development of soil culti vatioti. Still, even the oldest resident o 4 the state would be astonished by a careful perusal of the census figures just published by the bureau of sta tistics of the United States agricultu ral department, A striking stride in Montana's progress since 1910 is shown by the increase of $6,218,078.90 | in the total valuation of the state's ; food and domestic animals. | There is a reason for this enormous : addition to the wealth of the Treasure , state. The unusually large number ! of settlers that have poured into the 1 tillable sections tells the story. Buffa- J lo had roamed the prairies ages before J giving way to the western steer. It j was not until the soil experts made i tests of this virgin ground that its pro- J ductivity became known. When the virgin sod was turned over tests ; bowed the land was ideally adapted to j grain growth. Some of the best farms of the nation are in the process of mak ing in Musselshell county. Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul rail way exhibit cars carrying the marvel ous products of Montana have been a 1 great agent In transforming the state into a farming country. Those expo sitions on wheels have traveled thru the east and middle west showing to thousands of people, with the result that thousands of weary eastern toil ers have been beckoned to the "land of promise." What is best of all Mon tana lias proved to be all that this I had seated herself to nor task or sew ing. "I've got great news! I've just been down to Ellen Lawson's. You all know she's been tint on tier bark for a year with rtieumatiz. and I declare if she ain't walking around! She is too! She says site's going to church Easter Sunday ' "That's very nice." murmured tlie members oi the missionary so- iety. somewhat chagrined to find that tilts active member ot their circle had been I dug some home missionary work un known io them. But it had been a busy winter, with special work for their mission school tn India, and El len Lawson lived on the other side of the river "She's grown so thin, being sick and all. that sin* «'n't got a tiling to wear io « hurcli, and I promised she con'd wear my bi,u*k si!k dress I toll you be anse I knew you'd all tv ogulze it by I lie trimming. Vou've seen il often enough, bu; l dmi'i waul Ellen to think any mir'il notice iu she's counting on going io chu. ell and seeing the flowers and hearing a sermon. All the church news she's had Is what her husband could bring home, and men folks ain't much for that kind of thing." ratt ed Electa. "What about this sleeve, Mrs peering is that right?' Electa was the last one to leave the meeting that day. but it was notice nhle that the members of the society were «piite distraught as they separat ed Electa carried home her doughnuts ami had them for her supper. But she was so excited over the prospect of preparing Ellen Lawson for church that she unite forgot to include in her prayers her nightly plea for an Easter bonnet. Ellen Lawson's appearance nt church on Sunday in Eieeta's one silk dress was a matter that must la* managed with tact, so that no chance word or look sbonld mar Ellen's happiness at being out once more. "That's what Easter's for. I guess— to make glad all the folks who have been sick and are restored to health." mused Electa ns she inspected the Rilk dress for possible spots or tears It was an nncient gown and well worn. On the day before Easter Electa Scott walked across tlie long bridge over the river to Ellen Lawson's house. In her arms she carried n package containing (lie silk dress. Fho had given no further thought to what she might wear herself ou the morrow, but there was always the old black cashmere that she reserved for rainy days. It was dusk when she reached home. As was her custom, she hurried , around to the side door to let herself i Into the house. As she reached tlie I • top step she stumbled over something ' wrapped in paper—paper that rustled crisply. There was more rustling of papers. There proved to be quite a small mountain of paper wrapped par cels against the door The mystlfled little spinster stepped novel mean:- oi advertising has argued for it. since !!*!'- the number of horses in Montana has increased -J 1,044 head, — I'ncle Sams ligures show the value oi of Montana's horses has increased $7 per head since lit 10 indicating that the ! range horse has given way to the farm work horse, which brings more money evo-1 in the market. With the settlement of | -Montana land by the tiller of the soil I the farm horse has come to be in big ; demand, b'o the .Montanan is raising two! farm horses instead of the range pony , which he used to send to the eastern the j markets, it is more profitable. In J the last two years the total value of • Montana's horses has increased from *25,276,480 to $30,189,000. And, just as the farm workhorse is replacing the range cayuse so is the milch cow taking the place of the a range cattle. The total value of the state's milch cows has increased near ly $1,000,000 in two years. There now are 13,473 more milch cows in Montana in than there were in 1910, while the is number of range cattle has decreased | from 865,000 in 1910 to 732,000 in 1912. ; Swine have increased 43,739 head In | those two years. : Thus, in big round figures, dollars and , cents, the amazing story of Montana's ! agricultural development is forcibly 1 told. J But, let not the easterner get the J npression that Montana is fast becom It j ing overcrowded with people, milch i cows swine and horses. Far from it. J Italy is about one-fourth smaller than Montana in area. Yet Italy has some ; thing over 32,000,000 mouths to feed to j hile there is hardly half a million peo -♦ a pie within the borders of Montana. SWEET BONDAGE Gable—I see that congress is going to free the poor serfs who are held in bondage by the baseball trust. Steve—Well, I wish some one would sentence me to five years' servitude In one of the major leagues. I see her there in Lenten prayer, So calm ,so pure. And yet at that, It may be that she's kneeling there Just dreaming of her Easter hat. over tnem ana untoetcea me aoor ana lighted a lamp. In a daze of surprise she earried in parrel after parcel un til they covered tier dining room table With trembling huger» she opened one of the bags It contained a dainty little black straw bonnet with bunches of delicate white and purple violets Another one contained a hat—frail straw with a sweeping black ostrich feather. Electa did not know that this wus Amabel's Easter hat. In fact, she Sever really knew w hence came ail the lovely lists and bonnets contained in th, ' sl * bags left at her door, and she if m % THE PA IU'ELS COVERED UEK I A1 : L F never questioned the donors, so happy was she in their possession. They were the E.-lster bonnets of six lean years of poverty. Tears of happiness ran down her cheeks as she tried them on before the dim old mirror Two young people were standing in her garden watching her—Itoli llarmou and Amabel 1 leer ing. His arm was about the girl, and their cheeks were pressed together. Amabel was too happy to care about hats for herself. She told Hob that the other missionary ladies must have suffered a revulsion of feeling ami sno rlflced their Easter bonnets for Electa. She knew her own mother had sent a , foulard silk dress pattern i On Easter Sunday Electa Scott wore I • hew Easter bonnet to church, and. ' although all of the members of the missionary society wore last year's hats, not one there regretted or would have denied the happiness in Electa Scott's face, for iu this way had tlie Lord answered her prayer for a new bonnet. Easter Announcements K 3 S du m : v / 1 - A LJ V - \ \ ' i K ! I f t-ea— yxig \ Easter Clothing April 7th Is Easter ARE YOU READY? Good clothes are required to "get there" among men. We've got them. Come in and look 'em over. 300 Pair of Men's and Boys' Separate Pants to close out Hats for Easter You need a new hat for Easter. We have just received a large line of spring styles. McKibbon Hats (UNION MADE) The, McKibbon Hat is the rival of any $5 hat and is sold at— $3.50 Dry Goods A fine line of spring goods—the very thing for Easter dresses. Our stock in this line is complete and so up-to date that no matter what you want you'll find it here at a price that will more than please you. We have the most carefully se lected assortment of Dry Goods in the city. A visit from you will be appreciated. JACKSON CORSETS m \ lisiP «MB mi 'IIS. We have a complete line and the prices are right. You will want a new corset for that new Easter dress. Easter Groceries Drop into our store any time and place an order for your Easter Gro ceries. The most fas tidious epicurian will • here find everything suited to his or her taste, while the eco nomical housewife will find every known brand of staple food at the lowest possible prices consistent with high quality. Easter Shoes and Oxfords Quality, Beauty and Popular Prices, and the best of these is quality. If you desire to have the three combined and insure lasting comfort in your foot wear, purchase a pair of Foot-Schulze Shoes. They are the best sold for the price. Drop in and see them. We have a complete line in the late spring styles for men, women, girls and boys. AUGUST SCHRUMP