THE MYSTERY EGG

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 94, 22 April 1933, Page 20

THE MYSTERY EGG

(Original, by "Moonshine Fairy," aged 10.) IT'S a secret, mind," said Mother, "and be sure, you don't let her know." "No, Mother, of course we won't," came in chorus from a group of children. , Christabel, the oldest, was eleven. She. was rather small for her age and had a mop of tangled black curls. She was the scapegrace of the family. Maisie and Gillian, the twins, were next. They were in their tenth year. They were very much alike, only Maisie had brown eyes and hair, while Gillian had golden hair and blue eyes. Everyone who saw the twins declared there could be no prettier pair in the world; Number four in the family was Ethna. She was an odd little thing. Her hair was a mixture of gold and brown, and her eyes were a greenishblue, dreamy eyes. She wore spectacles through which she scanned you, with a puzzled look on her queer little face. She was eight. The Marker was the youngest. He was four, and never thought of anything else but his own importance in the world, and food. His real name •was Mark, I believe, but he was always known ns the Marker. Christabel said it was because he ate so much and was so fat. Therefore he was the family's bad mark. But Maisie did not agree with this. She said that if that was the reason, he ought to be called the Bad Marker. Just now this family was sitting round a warm glowing fire, discussing a secret their Mother had planned. _ At the same time there was another family eating the scantiest meal imaginable. .. "Now, Betty, you know you can't have one, so you needn't say another word about it." This remark was evidently addressed to the youngest, for on hearing it she burst into tears, and sobbed, "I thought we could buy a little one\" • . "No, you can't,, so you must stop crying at once." "Oh, Mother, couldn't we buy her just one?" "Well, Norah dear, I'm afraid we can't afford it, but I might try, answered her mother after some little hesitation. Everyone looked enviously at Betty, who stopped crying, and blushed with pleasure. There were eight in this family, from Norah to Betty; but their father had died. It was the. day before Good Friday, and everyone was buying Easter eggs and hot-cross-buns; but the Dawson family were too poor to buy even the smallest egg or the cheapest hot-cross-bun. At last the day canio to a close, and they nil went to their beds. Good Friday dragged by'hour by hour and still no one^ dreamed of the surprise they woukfiiavein the morning. About eight o'clock, while Norah was laying the table for breakfast, there was a knock at the door, which so startled her that she dropped tho best, china plate (which was plniu white and very chipped). ."Oh, botheration!" she exclaimed, as she stooped to pick >ip the pieces. After she had put them in the rubbish tin, she hurried to the door. She could hardly believe her eyes; for there on the doorstep lay the biggest parcel ."he had ever soon. She picked it up and took it inside. ""Whatever is it?" asked Bhoda. "Perhaps it's from the Smith Family," suggested William. "I shrtild say it was Betty's Easter egg," proposed Patty, winking at Norah. . , . , "0-o-o-ooh, yes!'.' shouted Betty. Norah opened it, and found a card with the following written upon it: "A present for tho Dawson family." She unwrapped a large white piece pf paper and came to a layer of cotton wool. She took that-off carefully, and revealed an Easter egg wrapped in a gaudy piece of silver paper. She gave an "Oh!" of surprise, for it really was r tremendous egg. % Although they never found out who sent it to them, I know a certain family who sat round their fire enjoying their secret!