The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-06-19
cd Of feeling warm, and wished he was in the

stake the black lace one, embroidered with
pink" at fourteen dollars, was about retiring,
when unfortunately, (at least for James,) she
to think that she must have one for
to beg that period of time which generally elaps.
es between Sundays, commonly known as Mon.
day, Tuesday, &c, including evenings. AS fol
James, he knew very we'll what his wife meant
by 'second best the only difficulty with him
was to tell the difference between ssfirst best
and "second best, in regard to bonnets and 9th,
er attire, but the class to which he personally
belonged was a settled fact in his mind, it bein:
to the latter, for memory treasured
not the time when he came off otherwise THAI
"second BEST
Mrs. l.. now went searching for "commor
bonnet as she was pleased to call it, will
James, the obedient, good-natured, kind hearted
James, close behind her. After having exam
ined the Rough and Ready s, cheap Gimps, and
CHINA Pearls, she pronounced them all too com
mon, and was proceeding to look again at those
OF finer order, when James, with his zephyr.
like voice, presumed to mention his blue (rcd
one before spoken of, for James was a man wh
had a taste of his own, and that taste was decl
dedly tor red, which owing to his limited knowl.
edge of colors, (he having been engaged in tn
anthracite coal business all his life,) he Away
called blue. His passion for his favorite colon
was SO great, that he always wore red flame
undershrts, and often said he could see no goot
reason for putting white ones over them to hide
all their beauty. Only week before Mrs. KS
opening, he had purchased red wastcoat--so
rcd, that when lyin on the dressing bureau, along
side of his flannel shirt, the latter looked quit,
pale, and in truth the vest could only be compar-
ed to sunset scene in October. James was
DESTROYS of wearing this waistcoat to Mrs. KS
but his wife said she would not walk with him if
he did, and hoped all the bnlls and dogs would
get after him and tear him to pieces
James after hearing that dreadful wish, gave
up all idea of wearing it when his wife was about,
and can now be seen after dark and early in the
mornings, walking pensiveV along, with his
eyes cast down, not upon the ground, but upon
his red waistcoat, gazing at it as though all his
pleasures present and to come, were centred in
its crimson velvet folds-and perhaps they were
sMaybe that blue (rcd) one would do for Sec
ond best?' returned James.
Mrs. l.. said not q word, but gave her hus-
band look which for blackness exceeded the
dakest thunder storm that e. er marrcd the beau
ty of summers day. Jasnes was silent, and
well for him that he was; but he evidently knew
how to conduct himself in the presence of his
wife. After walking around the room some
half dozen times, Mrs. L. stopped suddenly
and fixed an intent gaze an invisible green
bonnet, trimmed with white. Invisible green it
was, but not invisible to James, who saw it far
in the distance. He only wished it had been; in
truth nothing could have pleased him better
But he was not to be pleased. Mrs. L. convers-
cd few moments with Mrs. K, and instantly
that sonorous voice was heard calling "Jamcs!''
and James was on the spot, for little persons can
easily get through crowds, particularly when
certain persons call their names.
"Jamcs,' said Mrs. L., chow do you like this
one for second best''
"lts very pretty said James, ''but don't
like black He had spoken the latter part Of
the senteuce so softly that he hoped his wife had
not heard it. But it was not so.
'Black, you BOBBY said Mrs. L., will you
never learn any thing about colors? That hor-
rid ug ly coat you wanted to wear to-day,
which is as red as the sun eclipsed, you call
blue, and now call this beautiful bonnet black.
It's invisible green,' shouted Mrs l..
"Only wish it was, and that was too" NUT
tered James, who seemed used TO such out
burs.
81 think this will do for rainy days and even
lngs, and it is only ten dollars continued Mrs.
think it will,' whispered James, "for wom-
en- should always be invisible on rainy days and
evenings, and it will be something towards it if
their bonnets are So
"Mrs. l.. told Mrs. K, to have both bonnets
sent home by snpper time, so that James could
see them both by gas-light;" and James thrust
his hands into his pockets, wondering which he
would rather see, the bonnets, or the bill of
twenty four dollars for the same.
Mrs. l. now ready to 90 home, for which
James truly thankful, and after saying
'Goed morning. he at length found himself
md wife on the door step, when to his horror,
his wife said 'sshe had forgotten her rcticule,
md while she went back to search for it, James
pon Iol fcI
wipe the profuse perspiration from his brow,
with huge red silk handkerchief, which he
lrcw from his coat pocket Presently his wife
saying that she could not find the miss
ny article.
Golfer reward for it said James, sand adver-
Use 1t in the ledger, and if you do not get it
back will give you this blue (red) handker
chief to make auother.'
"You provoking man" said Mrs. K, 81 wish
you were far enough; if you had been attending
TO me properly, the reticule would not have been
lost, it's all your fault.
AS James was thinking what sort Of an an
swcr it would be safe to make, under the cir
a servant appeared with the rcti-
Guile, which was considerably soled from being
tramplcd upon, and caused Mrs L. to say, she
wished she had never found it at all, and that it
was all his fault that it had been ruined'
Mr.. and Mrs. l.. now proceeded homeward,
and myself and wife prepared to do the same,
but before leaving called Mrs. K aside, and
shaking hands with her said
s'This is the first and last bonnet opening |
shall ever attend; not but what your bonnets are
beautiful, yourself accommodating and enter
tanning, and your customers amusing, but after
what have witnessed in the case of my old
friend L., must acknowledge that l feel some
what nervous about myself in future years, and
therefore bid you a long good bye"
And so we parted, not however till Mrs. K.
had urged me to GENE to her next opening, and
| had most respectfully declined, again and a.
gain.
CHISA.-1s it not remarkable, says the Savan-
nah Republican, that China, with we'll defined
nationality of four thousand years, and Il popula-
ton for two thousand years, dcnser, according
to its area, than that of France or Britain, has
never had cause to complain of the misery or
distress other people? Virtually, she has had no
r &C.