Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-08-07
WATERFOWL, WIS,

the latter went into her bedroom and
soon came out bringing a huge band
box, large enough to contain a score OF
bonnets in these degenerated days.
| Opening it,, she took carefully out q
huge old straw bonnet, dated half
century back, and trimmed with faded
green gauze ribbon Mr. and Mrs.
Freeman looked on in quiet surprise as
she turned the ancient article around
and looked it carefully over. SIS
"There " said she, GIVE had that
bonnet forty years, and it's just as
goods new to-day. The strings are a
little soiled, but I can wash 'em out,
and then it will be all ready to wear to
meetin' next Sunday"
Grandma hadn't been to-eh,1rch for
years. so this announcement excited
no little SURPRISE f..sa
! "You shall have new bonnet if you
want to go to meetin, her son shouted
in her ear. -
GA new one to make fun dare say;
but don't care for that. This is a
good sensible bonnet, worth a dozen
of the little fddlin' things they tuck on
behind their ears nowadays. I should
catch my death of cold with one of
'em; I'da great deal rather tie a hand
kerchief on my head thar, wear one"
rA" You could nive a new one made
large, you know shouted Mrs. Free
man. ~ .--
( "Too far to gol La sakes I ain t
so feeble but what I can walk that lit
tie ways. My red shawl will be warm
enough if it's a pleasant day, and my
black alpacky dress is all the fashion
noww tn
There was clearly no way but to let
the old lady take her own course, as
when her mind was made up it was like
the laws laws of the Medes and Per
slams. But Lucy and Belinda were
wholly overcome the next morning
when their mother told them of grand
mas plan, ksr l.. a.
What does make her do SO 81 cried
Lucy ..s.....
&C Tn sure [ don't know, but she's
bound to do it, and I see no way to
prevent" @ .....
She hasn't been to church for
years, said Belinda, "and knows she
can't hear word. Strange what she
wants to go now for"
q know one thing" said Lucy de-
cidedly. "I won't go to church step
If she goes with that awful looking
thing on her head" -H -HSa
e Nor I, put in Belinda, "Iguess
not, indeed"
Oh now, girls, said their mother
soothingly, "the best way is to be in
dependent and not mind it"
But girls at eighteen and twenty
rarely possess the independence of
mind that belongs to forty or forty
five; so the church bells on Sabbath
morning rang to them secluded in their
chamber, ipeeping through closed blinds
at the chUrch-goers- Not one of the
family had chance to hear the rumors
which had been flying all over town for
the past two days, gaining volume with
every repetition until full particulars
OF the bridal costumes, the house they
were to occupy, and the furniture al
ready purchased, formed part Of the
regular story, !" 1t comes from the
family, SO it must be so,n was the
clincher that convicted all doubters. /
Grandma had settled her huge sky
scraper of a bonnet with many and
long consultations of the mirror, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Freeman proposed to
walk to church with her. both trying
not to feel the righteousness of the
situation. Grandma was formed some
what like Mrs. Stoves old ladies'
s'like a bag of feathers with a string
tied around the middle" and the am
pie skirts other black "allypacky"
seemed to hang from heavy chubby
cider barrel. An old fashioned red
shawl covered her broad shoulders, and
over and above all, the crowning glory
of the whole outfit, was that bonnet,
her little wrinkled face appearing in
the middle of its hinge circumference
in about the proportions of a humble
bee in the centre of punkin blossom.
1.-The gals have gone, [ 'spose," said
grandma, pausing at the foot of the
stairs in the hall. Belinda" she
squealed up the staircase, but there
was no answer,E so ON she went. Her
son dutifully gave her his arm, and
his wife pattered meekly along behind,
looking neither to the right nor to the
left. The girls peered from the win
dow and laughed till they cried
/ It's too ridiculous" said Lucy,
viping, her eyes. a" Do you see moth
er trotting on after them like little
dog?" "
Like lamb to the slaughter, I
should say I'd like to be there and
see how people look when they go in,''
said Belinda, ''that is if I could with
cut being seen." aa-
81 hope she won't take a notion to
go all summer" said Lucy.
"Oh Ihope not, indeed!" exclaim-
ed Belinda. :" It's too bad for even to-
day, for they really need us on that
new anthem.
" Everybody but us is ont to-day,
and they all seem to be going to our
church, too. D
6 There's Mr.. May, and see, he's got
on new suit. For that gentleman,
hearing the rumors, and knowing we'll
enough how they started, took no pains
to contradict them, but rather helped
them along by buying new suit of
clothes on Saturday Black dress coat,
lilac vest and gloves, drab pants and
hat. He passed the slow pace Free
man family at the church steps, and,
entering the fast-flling room, took a
seat near the door, apparently uncon-
sclous of the scrutiny bent upon him.
Many curious glances went to Belinda's
usual seat in the gallery, but the gem
eral opinion was that sheswould appear
just in, time for the ceremony.
The entrance of the Freemans put
an end to all doubts in any minds, as
we'll as to sobriety in most Little
children giggled outright, older ones
Uttered, and even the most sober mind
ed could not repress1 smile The
church filed up rapidly, pews all full
and crowded, and still they came. The.
somewhat prosy parson looked at the
gathering multitude in quiet surprise,
not having heard the flying rumors,
and not knowing what power of his
had SO drawn out the people. Truth
.compels me to state that he hardly re-
.ceived his share of attention from the
audience, however, Mr. May and
grandma Freeman dividing it
about equally. [ grieve to add that
at the other church the minister almost