The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-17
Gh GntdI1Qetteer
BETSEY'S BONNET.

" ANAhNA AAlhitt WNtthe SAAA8'
Betsey's worked awful hard this spring
Times are good, too, s'pose you don'twun
to go along with me, do youw
"let me sce-4 O'clOck-Ycs, I'll 90
Uncle Abel, I'll look at the pretty girls
though you won't mind that, Come on
sothey walked up the street, the fashion
able attire of the young lawyer contrasting
strongly with the a~ntiquated cut OF the fur
mer's garments, which at home we're won
to lie in solemn state in the spare room nj
the week, only to be worn on Sunday
There was little likeness in the facet
triiie too fair for manly beauty, with III
blonde mustaChe ind setting Of coarsC
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
where his dead sister was Ibid when John
WASH tiny child. 1t troubled John not 4
whit to be seen with the plain Countryman
in spite Of his perfumed hair and we'll
gloved hands his heart WIS us true US stee,
W lllG kbOh ~ lIllNl vi Ills bbl tlNDlt
They reached Nine. R0zctte's at last,
and John lounged in the doorway and
stairway engaged in the laudable employ
ment OF finding out the prettiest face 0ithC
girls in attendance. josie MOlliett, radiant
with smiles, and, | think, a little artificial
bloom, came forward with the most be.
witching glances to wait upon the farmer
who brought so attractive u person with
him; and, fancying that she would show
her superior quality by so doing, made up
her mind to quiz Uncle Abel unmerCi.
fully.
snow, young woman, show me some Of
your best bOnnets-real good ones. None
OF your poor old.fashioned things for my
wifeI"
Having said this, Uncle Abel felt that he
had stated the case clearly and should
have no more trouble.
Miss Josie sailed about and returned
with a white gypsy, trimmed with blue, u
shirred green Sltin with n rose on it, and a
gray straw trimmed with scarlet pOpies.
"NOw that will be just what you want, l
am sure; only S25, too-so cheap and so
becoming"
Uncle Abel confessed aftcrward that he
felt quite COMPOUNDED at the price, but he
did not mean to let that F%renchifed girl
know II, so he only said, "Oh that's the
style, eh2 1t amt u bit like Betsy'sold 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 it."
She looked up at John Dare mOrrily, but
could not interpret the look in his eyes, 80
takingit for granted that It was an express.
ion Of admiration, she pursued that same
strain.
''Just fresh from Paris. | am sure your
wife would like tlat. Shall l try it on for
your"
"Wa'al, yes, ! can tell better how It will
look then, Now II looks just like II dish"
"There, It goes this way" and Josie
pitched tho little thing over her rosy face,
tied the little strings in Il big bOw.knot,
aud swept down the length Of the room.
Don't you like it2'
"Wa'al, It's kind o purity, but it's awful
queer, amt II, Johu?"
John could only answer TINT lie "knew
nOthin' In the world about wOmen's bon.
nets" and took up his reycrie, whatever II
WINS, Just where 1t was broken off. But,
looking idly in the longymirror opposite, he
saw Josie making signs to another girl, and
he soon found that they were amusing
themselves VASTLY at the perplexity OF theil
customer, lie saw, too, that q pale, quiet
girl, with smooth brown hair, looked uE
from her work Indignantly, and he rather
saw than heard her say, "For shamel" and
grow crimson MS she spoke.
His own faCe flushed Il little rs he be-
came aware that Uncle Abe was being
made the butt Of their jokes-gOOd Uncle
Abel, who was looking at the fabrics in.
comprehensive to him, his heart only full
Of tie thought how lie should make hi
present worthy Of the patient soul for whom
1t was intended.
Then John was greatly perplcxcd, for, as
he said truly, he knew nothing about the
mysterious and hewildering arrangement
Of dress that he saw every day.
Still, he knew that Aunt Betsey's sparf
locks, tlIinly sprinkled with gray, were MOI
dressed In modern style, Npl le could not
see whereabouts on TINT dear old head any
OF those gypsies or fanchlons would rest
lie remembered that long ago Aunt Bet
sey was wont to twist her hair with thcsamI
energy that distinguished all her move
menti, and that this operation resulted II
A hard knob at thsback Of her head like
door handle, which certainly would moi
harmonic with those careless headdresscs
Just ne his brow was overcast with thi
thought the pale girl came near Uncll
Abel, blushing gs she did 80 in defiance o
the other girls, holding In her hand q plat
leghorn bonnet, trimmed with violet rib
bons.
Size wore q mourning dress, and the plat
brooch at her throat held d lock Of gra,
hair.
a think this might suit yot, sir" she
said. "lf yotr wife doesn't dress her hal
in these fashions, these bonnets would no
do. This Is rich and plain, and covers tn
back Of the head and neck"
"Wa'al, now, tell lne, for I have got n
bothered with these things. ! want 10 &c
q bonnet for Betsy, and ] mean To-. Nov
lest tell inc II you would like your mothe
10 wear one like this2 Oh, | beg your par
don, ma'ami | didn't see, l-l-an
sorrryl"
The younggirl brushed of a tear quickly
ms she said;
II have no mother now but II you vii
trust me, air, I think this will suit"
She had stood hitherto lust ont Of III
range Of John DOre's vision, and had no
seen him At all. Something In the sount
Of her voice attracted him, and when Uncl
Able called, "fiCre, John Darer he step
ped hastily toward them.
The girl thrust the bonnet into UnCl
Abcl's hands, and would have been out q
sight II her dress had not caught on II
the branching stands,
Amy" aid John Dare, with a hot fus'
on his face, catching her hand. "Am
Egbert, have1 found you at last9"
The girls face grew white and red b
turns, md the words she spoke came 4
low and broken that only Join could cato
their meaning.
Uncle Abel pushed his spcCtaOles up
a . v - a Inn N.WIt--t ~ go ~ A.