Aunt Edith loved to plan surprises for the three little sisters who often visited her. One Easter Sunday afternoon she invited them over to her house. When they had taken off their coats she said, "There is a basket of candy eggs hidden somewhere in this room for each one of you! You may begin hunting for them right away, and we will see who can find theirs first!"
What fun it was! This way and that they ran, looking under the couch, in the corners, behind the big clock, and oh—just everywhere!
"Oh, see! I have found mine!" cried Ruth, "Here is my name written with crinkly white frosting on the big chocolate egg!"
"And here is mine, inside the sewing basket!" called Louise. "Oh, how pretty it is!"
And then, last of all the smallest sister, Betty, found her basket tucked away behind the folds of the velvet curtains. After thanking Aunt Edith the three little girls ran happily home to show Mother and Daddy their lovely baskets.
And my, how good the big chocolate egg tasted too! Louise and Ruth took little tiny nibbles to make theirs last a long time, but Betty enjoyed hers so much she ate it all at once. After it was gone she was sorry that she had been in such a hurry, for it was hard to see the other girls still enjoying theirs!
The next day Louise and Ruth still had quite a bit of their candy eggs left. Before running out to play they each took a little bite, and then laid them carefully away. Betty stood watching and wishing, until a very wicked thought came into her mind! When she was sure her sisters were safely outside she took their eggs and ran quickly upstairs. After thinking a moment she slipped into Mother’s bedroom, and hid them far under the bureau.
When Louise and Ruth discovered that their eggs were gone they looked and hunted for them everywhere, but could not find them! Betty pretended to hunt too, but when her sisters did not see her she would slip into Mother’s room and quickly take a few bites and then run out to play.
But God has said, "Be sure your sin will find you out," and again, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper," and that was just what happened to little Betty! On Saturday, Mother was busily cleaning her bedroom, and as she swept under her bureau she found the last little scraps of the candy eggs!
Then what an unhappy time followed for Betty! After her punishment she began to realize what a shameful thing it is to be a thief, and a liar, and she realized that she needed to be saved from her sin. Then about a year later she learned that it was for her sin that the Lord Jesus had died, and she accepted Him as her Savior. Now she is truly happy for she knows that all her sins are forever washed away!