Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-12-01
HISTORY OF a BONNET.

II promised to buy my wife new bon
net" remarked the editor of the "Record-
err" as he crossed Canal street. arm in arm
with his bosom friend, All Knowltop
lodging truck as he uttered the words
.and stubbing the toe Of a tight boot agai INST
the curb in consequence.
"Well, now that you are in town and on
Broadway, you ought to keep your word !,
and buy her as nice bonnet as you Gait
fnd," answered his friend, as he steadied
the newspaper man. restoring to him his
equilibrium.
Eyes, know 1 ought to, but you see we
country editors are not blessed, usually.
with as many dollars as there are qnads in
the case. l have come on to New York to
buy mai erial and to see about commission
merchants ads, and must not run myself
short. Then, again, it is matter Of two
hundred miles to Freetown, and l must
go up the river on bushes, before | go
home. SO that, on the whole. the expense
and the trouble of carrying the head-gear
is too much. Iguess Angie will have to do
without it,
"Do without it - exclai~ Knowlton,
with wealth of approach ID his tone. DO
without it You are a pretty fellow to
grumble about expense and distance
Your generosity is about as poor as your
grammar. You say you have come on to
New York to buy printing material; now
say come on aud buy bonnet for your
wife. You can do the opposite. but she
will bless the expense if it is handsome
hat, and she Can let her neighbors know it
come all the way from New Y ork.''
mo, guess won't get it this time"
said Editor Bawshay.
"But guess you will, though, !" replied
Knowton. 'l'l give you no peace until
you purchase very love of bonnet for
that charming woman to whom you refer
so carelessly as my wife, Come, row we
will begin with the first where there is the
least likelihood of finding one. Here, old
fellow, is place where they sell artificial
flowers let's 60 in and see if by chance
there is a bonnet for sale.''
somewhat against his will Bawsfay suf-
fered himself to be drawn into the trap
and presently Knowlton was asking to
''see some bonnets.''
"WeIl," said the proprietor Of the es-
tablish nent, in reply, "well, we don t keep
bonnets; our business is conffned to arti-
fetal flowers but perhaps we have one or
two which have been used to display sam
piles of our goods, which we can let you
have at a low figure. Step this way.''
In the rear OF the large store five bon
nets we're found and duly inspected. The
first four were unanimously condemned.
but the fifth was charming. So thought
the two male connoisseurs as they gazed
At the decllcAte affair held aloft in the
right hand Of the merchant, who swayed
it gracefully IN a curvinilear lines-giving
it sheer now to iarboard and now to
starboard.
"Yes," quoth Knowlton-who was
bachelor. and of course au fait in all mat
ers of this sort-'it is just the thing you
want. Bawshay-buy it.''
Suddenly the proprietor was blessed With
happy thought.
Here. Jenny, he cried, addressing a
blooming young girl. the centre of grou
of five women 1.-THE same number as the
stock of bonnets) who were engaged in ar
ranging roses and leaves not ten feet away.
ssHere, Jenny, will you lie so good as to
try this on?"
Jenny was lovely creature, who evil
iently C 'uld make any bonnet seem other
than it was by simply wearing it. She die
OF appear to like the idea of disporting
herself before two TRANCE men in order to
show off the b.comingness of an elegant
to purchase the same; it was little out of
her line; bu: she came forward and tried
the bonnet on, blushing gloriOusly thu
while, making a mos' fascinating picture.
which the editor and his friend regard
ed with open and undisgulsed admira
tIOn
The hat was pronounced 'perfection it.
self" and the charming girl returned it to
he merchant with delicious air of confu
,lon ahd emb irrassment.
DOWSuhS d lOtl vi UlllS, CluS
apparently giving the lie to the legend about
country editors incurable impecunlosity
and demanded
'sHow much 2"
Any milliner 10 town would charge you
1t least twenty dollars for it but as
we don't sell hats, and this is something
lnsual with US. you may have it for five
lollars.'
give dollars! - said Knowton, under
bis breath. Five dollars! About right as
to value, but direct cheap as hat prices
CO."
"All right" said Bawshay," all right;
please put it up"
Knowlton hoped that the fowermap
would prolong the process, for he was in,
fatuated with the fair girl who had exhi-
bted the article OF dress in such hewitt
ching manner, and be could hardly keep
MS eyes off her, AS the phrase goes.
Bawshay. married man though he was,