The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-12-02
THE BLUE BON NET
by GAIL HAMILTON,


.0h dear.o lg PIT
II you could but have heard the tone in
which this was spoken by Mise Grisel. She
had just come in, from walk. to the parlor,
where her cousin, brother, and sister were
sitting. They all looked up at her energetic
Exclamation.
What is the matter ?" said Conway, try
ing TO initiate her tones.
It's an awful day--I think it's an awful
day 70 continued Grisel.
There r said Conway, turning to cousin
Gene, /" never saw such girl as our
Grisel. If everything doesn't 60 just to
suit her, why, it's awful, It's always either
terribly cold,' or horribly warm,' or
.shockingly foggy.' She lives in the super
latiye degree from r,orning to night"
Well, now, Gene, isn't it provoking /?
Just look at my new gaiter boots, and my
clean stockings and pantalettes, all splashed
with mud and when | take my sandals off,
there'll be great mark all around. Well,
the boots are ruined. Inever feel as if they
are nice after they have once been so muddy.
And my feathers are spoiled too, suppose.
| could hear them go foppity- y-fop, fopity
flop, half the way home. Do see, Gene, do
you suppose they will ever come out right
again."
Gene took the pretty blue bonnet in her
hand, and stroked the feathers and smoothed
the ribbon; but they dropped in a very
melancholy way, and poor Grisel looked
melancholy as they. Little. Trip stood by
with curious eyes. .
!" Don't you wish you had done as Gene
wished you, and worn your straw bonnet .
Then you wouldn't have spoiled this" she
asked.
"Oh no." said Conway. Grisel would
wear her blue bonnet if it rained guns.
Isn't Miss Thirteen fit for feathers and
founces, and beau ?"
Do STOP" said Grisel, pettishly. 81
cant bear to hear people make such simple
tons of themselves. After thing is spoiled,
what's the use Of saying, if you had done SO
and so it wouldn't have been so. If Eve
hadn't eaten the apple, we shouldn't have
had bonnets to spoil. How could know it
was going to rain? / am sure the sun was
out bright when dressed wasn't it Gene ?"
" Yes, dear, only il had been raining all
the morning, and in such days as this, you
know, | told you that the sun will very often
NC OHS uOul, anu ~ VIII ut
fast the next"
And" said Conway, you know it was
wet, and you ought TO have worn your rub
ber boots instead Of those little sandals.
What good can they do when you are ankle
deep in mud !"
DO you think would be seen calling at
Nine Grifoni's with pair Of great clumsy
rubber boots ons am sure | hate them
bad enough at any time. But of all things,
to make calls in them !"
Il fancy you would have had TO make
calls in them if mamma had been at home,
or else you wouldn't have made calls at ALL"
"0h come, children" said Gene, " don't
make bad matter worse. Run and change
your clothes, Grisel, and then we'll have a
right pleasant evening, if it is such an awful
day."
"How vain Grisel is" said Conway, after
she had gone.
She resembles her elder brother in that
respect" answered Gene.
Me? I'm not vain, I'm sure. Nobody
ever accused me Of being vain. Mamma
often SAYS she wishes | had little more
pride, 70 keep myself looking nice. She
says she is quite ashamed Of me when we
have visitors"
"And you are amply repaid for it by
hearing her say to her visitors, Conway is
all study. f'he gets a book, he does not
know whether his hair is combed or not
And the visitor replies, s0h, that is good
fault. We all know he is very fine scholar,
and so don't mind il lie does not look 50
tidy as some boys do"
Conway blushed and laughed, and Gene
said pleasantly,
Isn't It little bit so, now 7.
Well, yes" said he, frankly. al think
il is; but | am sure il is not half so bad to
be proud Of being good scholar as il is Of
wearing feathers and silk"
whats that about feathers and silk Z"
said Grisel entering something against
me, suppose, as usual"
No, no" cried Conway, " take courage,
Senorita. The tables are turned. Gene
here says am as vain rs you. What say
you to that !"
II always thought so, for my part" an
swered Grisel.
"Don't believe you ever thought Of il be-
i fore in your life"
"welI, if | had, should have thought so !;
but you have always been digging at me
so about my own vanity, that never had
chance TO examine you. Gene, am glad
YOU have carried The war into the enemy's
camp"
"Ah! but you sec my vanity is great
deal better Kind than yours. That makes
all the difference in the world"
"No," said Gene, I" did not say so. aud
do not think so.
"what! You think It is just as foolish
TO try to be good scholar, as to wear iea-
Tiers in bonnetp
"Not al all. But il is Just a. foolish 70
be rain Of being good scholar a. to be vain
Of dress"
II don't think 50; because il you are a
good scholar, tits something you do yourself,
and there is some merit in it. But there is
no merit in wearing particular Kind OF
L.. Iaots Lass.