The Four: I

                                                                     Needs

                                                                        I

             “Is there any thing to eat?” Questioned Alison from across he room as she swept the old wood floor.

            “Alison, you know better than all of us that you must wait till dinner to eat or you won’t have any thing to eat for dinner.” Louise, Alison’s sister, said sternly, but then said understandingly, “I know how you feel. It’s hard for all of us,” she motioned toward the other two sisters, Susan and Karen, working near the stove, “But we must wait and hope fully one of us can get a job some where.”

            Alison nodded ruefully, “ I understand.” She went solemnly back to sweeping.          

            “When is dinner anyway?” Susan said after over hearing the other sisters’ conversation.

            “Soon,” Louise answered simply as she added some more water to the already watered down soup.

            An hour later all the girls were seated around a tattered blanket that served as their table.

“Now,” said Louise, “we must pray.” All girls became quiet as they bowed their heads and folded their hands.

            Louise began the sacred words that gave all the girls their hope. “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. 
Thy Kingdom come. 
Thy will be done in earth, 
as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our trespasses, 
as we forgive them that trespass against us. 
And lead us not into temptation, 
But deliver us from evil. 
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.”

            The girls quickly looked up, and then proceeded to eat. Louise looked and her three sisters in tattered clothes, horribly skinny, poor, and innocent, she new she looked just like them. She loved them all. Karen’s helpful attitude, Alison’s hard working spirit, and Susan’s cheerful character, they all helped her and each other. I must go looking for a job again tomorrow my darling sisters do not deserve to starve, Louise thought.

            Karen had looked up and noticed her sister’s thoughtful face. “Louise, what are you thinking about?” These words made Susan and Alison look up from their almost gone bowl of soup.

            “I’m going looking for a job in town again tomorrow. I must find a job,” Louise stated determinedly. “We have the payment for the house coming up some time soon and we have nothing to pay it with. God will provide.” She added.

            All the sisters nodded. Susan sighed she remembered the last time Louise went in search for a job, and she had failed miserably.

            “ We must all find jobs,” All the sisters stared astonished a Louise’s words.

            “How are we to do that?” exclaimed the surprised Karen. “You know how scarce jobs are for girls.”

            “Yes, I know, but when we go to town we are going to look at the bulletin to see if there I any need of four hard working girls any where.”

            “You think there will be anything there?” asked Alison.

            “We can always try!” said Louise

            “Alright then sister, we will have to leave early tomorrow, around five O’clock,” Susan agreed. All the girls nodded, quickly finished their soup, cleaned up, and got ready for bed.

            “Let’s get a good nights sleep girls,” Louise said from her side of the bed, which they all shared. Then, blowing out the dim candle that barely flickered the room with light, she gave a sigh and fell into deep sleep.

                                                                        <:::>

            That morning the ladies dressed them selves and began their trek to town. The Four where very excited. Rarely did they get to go to town, unless they needed something important. Even then, they usually doddled around the stores looking at fancy trinkets, ribbons they could never buy, odds and ends, and dresses. Oh, how they love to look at dresses with their frills, lace, and ruffles. It was like a fairy tale.

            They reached town quickly and went over to the bulletin board that hung on the general store.

            “Nothing,” said Karen mournfully.

            “Let us not give up yet,” said Susan.

            “Maybe,” thought Louise aloud as she peeped into the General Store and saw the young man busy with a customer. She glanced around. The shelved looked a little dusty; the floor looked a little dole… “The store needs some help.” She finished

            “Lets go then!” Alison said happily.

The girls entered the store. The young man, serving as cashier, had just finished helping the customer that walked out into the street. And greeted the girls with a grin.

            “Anything I can help you with?” said the cashier.

            “Um, yes,” Louise spoke up, “We were wondering if you had any need for helpers…to uh clean, you know. Well basically, we’re looking for a job.” She finished and the all girls all look along expectantly.

            “Well, I can’t promise you any thing but we do need help.” He mused.

The four all glanced at each other happily.

             “But only one.” He added. “You stop by here tomorrow morning five sharp. The owner of this store will be here then.” He looked pointedly at Louise.

            Louise turned to her sisters but they had become distracted with some scrumptious looking deserts and fresh bread. Then she looked back to the man. “Alright, I will see you tomorrow morning. Sharp,” she added.

Giving her a smile, he began to sort things on a shelf nearby.

            “Girls!” Louise called to her sisters. Susan was already by her side; Alison and Karen slowly made their way back then they walked out the door of the shop together.

            “Oh, could we stay for awhile and look around, please?” Alison pleaded.

            Susan gave her a stern look,” Ali, you know that all you’re going to do is covet.”

            “But-“ Alison started.

            “No ‘buts’ “

            “B- Oh, alright sister.”

“We have to feed the dog anyhow, and milk Eva,” Karen reminded them all. With that, the sisters started the journey home.

                                                                        <:::>

Oh, I can’t wait till tomorrow! I hope I get that job. I will won’t I? Louise questioned her self silently as her siblings slept beside her. She had her morning all planed out. She would wake-up, make what she could for breakfast; ready herself in her best clothes and start of for town. Ah, she sighed. She could hardly wait.

            But, none of these girls had any idea what excitement would come of tomorrow.