The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-11-17

ed.
Meantime, Aunty Wheeler, whose
house faced the road, had seen the runa
way and noticed the accident to the bon.
net and had sent her grandson, Peter, to
take ii from the oak bough. After
waiting at her door for an hour and Q
half she concluded that Ella was either
killed or had not known where she losi
her bonnet, and returned to her kiteh'
en-.
"And you Jest carry the bonnet
home to Mrs. Haskells, Peter" said
she. essay that Ella lost it off, but
don't tell that she was run away with
for there's no need of scarin' her ma
without cause. Ella is just hity-tity
enough not to know whether her bon
net is on her head or off it,"
Peter, shy, white headed child
obeyed with sulky reluctance. lie
carried the bonnet TO the house, and
greatly disliking explanations and
questionings, performed his errand by
poking il in at an open window under
which table happened to stand. II
vas the spare bedroom window, and
FIVE minutes after, Nancy, the new
"help," came into the room to wash
that very window. She found the
bonnet on the chair, and being a tidy
soul, opened the closet and put it into
tie bonnet box which stood there,
shutting down the cover. Half an
hour from that time the spare bedroom
had resumed its usual condition of
shadow ed order.
AS for poor Ella, what she suffered
no one knew. The picnic was one
long misery to her. She thought of
nothing but the lost bonnet. If she
could have forgotten 1t, Silas would
not have permitted the oblivion, for he
talked about it constantly, and the fact
that Ella Haskell was run away with
and had lost her bonnet was the topic
OF the day. Nobody found the lost
treasure, of course. And it so happen
ed that during the afternoon Aunty
Wheeler was sent for, in her capacity
of nurse, by certain Mrs. Jorkins,
who lived twenty miles away, and that
she did not return to her own home for
three good months. Therefore there
was no comfort for Ella on her home
coming, and nothing remained for her
but full confession. Solemn scenes ell
sued. Correspondence commenced be-
tween the two matrons. Ella had the
modification of knowing that her cous-
in knew she had borrowed her bonnet
because she had no nice one of her
own. And horror fell upon this Has
kcll family when, having insisted on
paying for the bonnet, they heard that
it cost twenty five dollars.
Ella "did" with her last winters
dress that year, and very shabby it
sro~ Dcrorc spring came, and with
snrinn a u'N;i f-~->- ----;.- 1Isot~i, WHY
much against her will, was sent to her
uncle's by her father every year.
More airs, more graces than ever. A
large trnnk, or rather larger trunks,
and more extensive boasting. Ella
conducted her relative to the spare bed
room, fresh with its new curtains and
pillow shams, and the girl began at
once, as Ella had declared she knew
she would.
"There's my hat box. Dear me,
how did you lose the hat off without
knowing it? You never thought of
the long pin. Here it is in the cover.
That cost dollar; it has an enameled
head. wonder who picked it up.
Why, Ella, where did You find it?"
81 never found it," replied Ella,
"and as ma paid for it, II
think we might as well drop the sub
ject."
"B1t here .! il il, IL" said said. Hester
"The bonnet" said Hester.
And there it was, indeed, as Ella
saw on looking in. Fresh in tint and
dainty as ever. How il came there
was mystery doomed never to be un- I
ravelled.
The new "help" had long before
'given sass" and been dismissed; and
Aunty Wheeler had never found time
o "slip over to Mrs. Haskells I'm her
)rlef sojourns at home.
Mrs. Haskell declared that Ella had
never put il on OF all; but Silas Per-
iins, now her acceptsd lover, remem-
)ered the blue satin and crushed roses
90 we'll to admit of that explanation.
No spiritualists were on hand, and El-
a felt the situation beyond her. But
he had suffered too much for that bon
let.
"Ma," she said, eagerly, "you paid
or the bonnet. went without my
winter dress for it. 1t is mine"
"Well, yes, SO it seems 10 me-" said
Mrs Haskell.
"pm sure don't want last years
said Hester, scornfnlly.
every well; let nobody reproach
me-" said Ella, seizing the tongs which
'tood near the fireplace.
She left the sitting room in which
his conversation occurred and return
ID, bearing the bonnet before her be-
tween the tongs.
"There," she said, depositing it in
he midst of the flames. at is mine,
md that is what l choose to do with
t."
Nobody stirred. The satin blazed,
he flowers crisped to hnder, the feath-
'rs smelled as burning feathers will.