The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-12-27

ing upher Christmas ewes work by stufing
to-morrow's turkey. Her heart was full of
indignation.
Took my butter-money, and never knew
| hadn't had bonnet for five years." she
had said to herself; sand not boy of all
the six knows it either" So she turned her
back and called over her shoulder:
"Set by aud beip yours ,lves-I haven't
time to wait On you tonight. But no one
sat down.
The six Sons stood in a row long necked
and tall like six giraffes; and Silas, unused
to Christmas gifts, felt awkward with his
bundle.
"Penelope Jane" he said at last.
"What ?" said his wife, shortly.
"Ef you want your Christmas, turn
round said Silas, chuckling. 81 suppose
| you'll laugh at me-but didn't know what
you'd like so IL got this. It's n bonnet,
with real lace onto it-whatever that is.
1 suppose you've good enough one, but
| you see"
Before he could say any more, Penelope
had turned and looked at him with ra-
diant countenance.
sand thought you didn't know" said
she. Why, l declare, it's the very
thing | wantcd-garnet, too ; my pet col
Or"
"There, told you So" said Aaron to bis
brothers. "Women never have enough
bonnets. I've read that in the newspapers,
Trot 'em out, boysw
And Penelope Jane turned and saw her
SIX graffrs, each with a bonnet perched
on his red fist. Sans was yellow and
black Jacks was purple and green; Ben's
Was so covered with crimson roses, that no
one could tell what was under the flowers;
Moses had bethought him to purchase
bridal bonnet with II white veil and orange
blossoms; and Auron's opera bon"et with
its pale blue silk and white Marab"u,
looked as .hough it had been made for II
fairy.
"She's set up for life" cried old Silas,
rubbing his hands. II don't believe
there's nobody in the place so forehanded
for bonnets as you be now, Penelope
Jane"
But Penelope sat down in her rocking
chair and burst into tears.
"Oh, how wicked | have been" she
sobbed. "They all knew-they all took
notice"
The six giraffes locked at each other.
Silas. what makes you cry z"
For answer she kissed them all around,
set her bonnets in row on the old side
board, with newspaper under them, and
began to heap their plates with good
things.
"There amt happier woman than am
alive this Christmas eve" she said. "Do
set by and eat you must be hungry"
II was a saying there wasn't a wife to
match you going" said Silas. I said it
to the boys a-ridin' over"
1t was the first compliment he had paid
her to her face since her wedding-day.
That night, as Penelope Jane went to
her rest, she added to her prayers-"Oh,
Lord, make me truly thankful. They all
knew" Nobody had known but it was
the same to Penelope Jane. She wouldn't
have worn one of those bonnets for king
dom. She got Miss Scrimp, the milliner,
to make her one out of brown silk, with
strings to cover her ears, and a little white
frill in the face, and wore that. But sew
eral bandboxes stand in a row on her
closet shelves and whenever mans con.
slant want of tact makes her heart feel
heavy she takes off the covers ofthose seven
treasure caskets and looks in, and says to
herself:
"They do know, after all. It's only men
folks ways, l reckon"
After all, perhaps they do know, in
way.