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