Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-11-03
Betsey,s ROunet.

plain, country farmer in suit of gray.
"Wa'al, no, not quite yet, John. want |
10 get Betsey bunnit a real nice one |
just as good as a Yorker might want. Cause
Betsey's worked awful hard this spring. |
5 pose you don't want to go along with me, |
do you ?"
"Let me see-four o'clock-yes, I'll go,
Uncle Abel. I'll look at the pretty girls,
though you won't mind that. Come on"
So they walked up the street, the fash
ionable attire of the young lawyer contrast
ing strongly with the antiquated cut of the
farmers garments, which at home were
wont to lie in solemn state in the spare room
all the week, only to be worn on Sunday
with becoming carefulness. There was
little likeness in the face--a trifle too fair
for manly beauty, with its blonde NOUS
tache and setting Of close brown curls-to
the bronzed and beardless one, with the few
locks, spare and gray, beneath the well
brushed hat but the blue eyes were the
same in both, and like those that were
closed forever under the sod in the apple or
chard on Uncle Abel's farm, where his
dead sister was laid when Johnny was
tiny child. 1t troubled John not a whit to
be seen with the plain countryman; in spite
of his perfumed hair and wellgloved hand,
his heart was as true as steel to the good
friend Of his boyhood, and the inquiring
glance Of his companions gave him no an
noyance whatever.
They reached Madam Rozette's at last,
and John lounged in the doorway and
straightway engaged in the laudable employ
ment of finding out the prettiest face OF the
girls in attendance. Josie Molliet, radiant
with smiles and, | think, little artificial
bloom, came forward with the most bewitch-
ing glances to wait upon the farmer who
brought 30 attractive person with him (;
and tancying that she would show her su-
perior quality by so doing made up her
mind to quiz Uncle Abel numerically.
But here was fine lady, with great cir
cumference of black silk trailing out along
the carpst, waist no bigger than wasp, a
head ON which the hair seemed struggling in
crimps and curls to get away from the shin
ing bands strapped tightly around it, and a
pair of great black eyes looking straight at
him, while the damse held up one style af-
ter another, or tied them on coquettishly,
but derived no help from him.
"Now, young woman, show me some Of
your best bopnets-real good ones"
Having said this, Uncle Abel thought that
he had stated the case clearly and should
have no more trouble.
Miss Josie sailed about and returned with
white chip gipsy, trimmed with blue, a
shirred green satin with red rose on it,
. I'd gray straw trimmed with scarlet
"Now that will be just what you want,
am sure only twenty-five dollars, too--so
cheap and so becoming"
Uncle Abel confessed afterwards that he
felt quite confounded at the great price, but
he did not mean to let that Frenchifed girl
know it, so he only said, "Oh, that's the
style, eh ? 1t amt a bit like Betsey's old
one, though"
"Oh, no. sir; the fashion has changed en-
tirely. Now the gypsy is the newest thing
out, and your wife would set the fashion,
don't doubt"
She looked up at John Dare merrily, but
could not interpret the look in his eyes
80 taking it for granted that it was an ex
preston of admiration, she pursued the SAINT
strain.
"Just fresh from Paris. am sure your
wife would like that. Shall l try it on fol
your"
"Wa'al, yes, l can tell better how it look
then. Now it looks just like dish"
"There, it goes on this way" and JOSH
pitched the little thing over her rosy face
tied the strings in big bow knot and swep
uoWn tne ienSth VI the roon' Dou yo'
like it p
"Wa'al, it's kind o purity; but it's awfu
queer, amt it, John ?"
John thus appealed to, could only answe
that he "knew nothing in the world abou
women's bonnets," and took up his reverie
whatever it was, just where it was broker
off. But looking idly in the long mirror OF
posite, he saw Josie making signs to anothe
girl, and he soon found that they were anus
ing themselves vastly at the perplexity 0
their customer. He saw, too, that pale
quiet girl, with smooth brown hair, locke
up from her work Indignantly, and he rathe
saw than heard her say, "for shame" an
grow crimson as she spoke.
J His own face flushed little as he becam
! aware that Uncle Abel was being made thu
butt of their jokes.
J Then John was greatly perplexed; for, a
J he said truly, he knew nothing about al
that mysterious and bewildering arrange
ment Of dress that he saw every day.
Still he knew that Aunt Betsey's spar
locks, thinly sprinkled with gray, were no
dressed in modern style, and he could no
for the life of him see whereabouts on tina
} dear old head any of those gypsies or far
chons would rest. He remembered that Ion
, ago Aunt Betsey was wont to twist her hal
with the same energy that distinguished al
: her movements, and that this operation re
! suited in hard knob at the back of he
head like a door handle, which certainl
would not harmonize with these capeles
head-dresses.
Just as his brow was overcast with thi
thought, the pale girl came near Uncle Abe
7 her cheeks blushing as she did 30 in defianc
) of the other girls, holding in her hand
} plain Leghorn bonnet, trimmed with viole
} ribbon.
, She wore mourning dress, and the plai
} brooch at her throat held lock of gray hal
) al think this might suit you, SIR sh
; said. "If your wife don't dress her hair i
these fashions, these bonnets would not d
at all. This is rich and plain, and cover
the back of the head and neck"
"Wa'al now, tell me, for l have got 6
bothered with these things that don't kno
one from t'other. l want to get bonn,
for Betsey, and | mean to. Now Just te
me il you would like your mother to wes
one like this Oh, | beg your pardol
' maam. didn't see," and he touched tt
4 sleeve of her black dress. "I-I-am sorry
. The young girl brushed off tear quick
' as she said, II have no mother now; but
: you will trust me, sir, think this wi
( suit"
/ She had stood, hitherto, just out Of IL
q range of John Dare's vision, and had n,
r seen him at all. Something In the sound ,
4 her voice attracted him, perhaps, and whe
!. Uncle Abel called
q "Here, John Dare !" he stepped hasti
a enough toward them. The girl thrust Il
!. bonnet into Uncle Abel's hands, and wou
+ have been out of sight ii her dress had n,
!. caught on one of the branching stands an
q held her fast.
? "Amyl" and John Dare, with a hot flu.
q on his face, caught her hand and so detains
e her. Amy Egbert, have found you
u last 2"
; Uncle Abel pushed his spectacles up {
d his forehead, still holding the hat in h
2 hand looking open-mouthed from one to ii
ia other.
If al guess you must have knowed tn
,r young man afore, didn't you 2" he sal,
n but John was too busy with eager que
Is tions, and Amy was trembling and fushil
II as she tried to speak calmly, and so b
" question was unanswered. Pretty Jos
I was dividing her attention between a ne
h customer aud the strange scene beside b,
', and between anger and modification 81
r looked in no need of help from rouge, as 81
n tossed her head and muttered various u
a. courteous remarks in regard to "that An
10 Egbert and her beau"
Uncle Abel held the hat while long