The Van Buren press., 1873-06-03

popln, probably With bonnet and gloves
to match.
That evening while tho Freeman girls
were at prayer meeting, and only lhelr
parents at home with grandma, the latter
went into her bedroom and soon came
out bringing huge bandbox, large
enough to contain score of bonnets 70
these degenerate days. Opening it, she
took carefully out huge old straw bon
net, dating half century back. and trim
med with faded yrssn cause ribbon. Mr
and Mrs. Freeman looked on in qule'
surprise as she turned the ancient article
around and looked it carefully over.
There said she, I've had that bon
, net forty five years, and it's just as good
as new 10 day. The strings are httlG
ssiled, but can wash them out, and II
will be all ready TO wear to meetin mex
, Sunday.
/ Grandma had not been to church fo
years, so this announcement excited NC
little surprise
You shall have new bonnet II you
want to 20 TO meeting, her son shouted
in her ear
A new enc to make fun dare say
but | don't care for that. This is sagoed
sensible bonnet, worth dozen OF the
little fiddlin' things they tuck on behind
their ears now adays, l should catch
my death of cold with one of EN-; I'd
great deal rather tie handkerchief on
my head than wear one.
4 . adj Ia PpN n
you know, shouted Mrs. Freeman.
Too far to 90! La sakes! | amt
SO feeble but what | can walk that little
ways NY red shawl will be warm
enough if it's pleasant day, and my
black alpaeky dress is all tho fashion
now.
There was clearly no way but to let the
old lady take her own course, as when
her mind was onee was made up 1t was
like the laws Of the Medes aud Persians.
Bat Lucy and Belinda were wholly over
come the next morning when their moth
er told them Of grsndma's plan.
What does make her do soT cried
Lucy.
Pm sure ] don't know, but she's
bound to do it, and see no way to pre-
vent.
She hasn't been TO church for years,
said Belinda, and knows she can hear
a word. Strange what she wants to go
now for.
L know one thing said Lucy decid-
edly. Il won't go to church step il
she goes with that awful locking thing
on her head
Nor 1, put in Belinda. l guess not,
indeed
'Oh now, girls, said their mother
soothingly, the best way is to be indie
pendent and not mind it.
But girls at eighteen and twenty rare
ly possess the independence OF mind tba'
belongs to forty and forty five; so the
church bells on Sabbath msrning rang
to them secluded in their chamber, peep
ing through closed blinds at the church
goers. Not ono of the family had chanc
ed to hear the rumors which had been
nyiag all over town for the past few
days, gaining volume with every repeti-
ton, until full particulars, of the bridal
cos umss, tie house they were to occupy,
and the furniture already purchased form
cd part Of the regular story. 1t comes
from the family, so it must be so, was
the clnchcr that convinced all doubters.
Grandma had settled her huge sky
scrapcr Of bonnet with many and long
consultations Of tho mirror, and Mr.. and
Mrs Freeman proposed 10 walk to church
with her, both trying not to foel the rid
iculousness Of the situation. Grandma
was formed somewhat liko Mrs Stove ;
old ladies' like bag Of feathers with a
string tied around the middle, and the
ample skirts Of her black 'alpacky seem
ed to hang from heavy and chubby ei
der 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 huge circumference in about the pro
portion Of humble beo in the centre OF
a pumpkin blossom.
The gals have gone, l sposc, said
grandma, pausing at the foot Of the
stairs in ths hall Belinda she squeal.
ed up the staircase, but there was no an.
swer, so on she vent Her son dutifully
gave her his arm, and his wife pat,ersd
meekly along schind, locking neither to
right or left The girls pesped from the
window and laughed till they cried
It's too ridiculous, said Lucy, wip
ing her eyes, Do you see mother trot-
ting on after them like little dogi'
Like lamb to the slaughter, should
say Id like to bo there and see how
people look whon they 60 in, said BE
linda, that is II ] could without being
seen.
Il hope she won't take notion 70 so
all summer, said Lucy
'Oh! hope not, indeed! exclaimed
Belinda. It's too bad for oven to day,
for they really need AS ON that new an
them.
Everybody but US is out to-day, and
they all seem to be going to our church,
too
There's Mr. May, and see, he's got on
a now suit For that gentleman, hear
ing the rumors, and knowing well enough
how they started, took no pains to con
tradict them, but rather helped them
along by buying Il new suit Of clothes on
Saturday. Black dress coat, lilac vest
and gloves, drab pants and hat Hc
passed the slow paced Freeman family
on tho church steps, and entering the fast
filling room, took a seat near the door,
he