Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-06-03
BETSEY'S BONNET.

''Well, Uncle Abel, now you are off for
home, I suppose; trading all done, crops all
bargained for, eh and John Dare lifted his
hat and pushed back his thick hair as he
stood on the hotel steps talking to a plain
country farmer in suit of home-spul
gray;
get Betsey bonnet-a real nice One-just
as good as Yorker might want. Cause
Betsey's worked awful hard this spring
Times are good, too. So guess We'll see
if my Betsey shan't look as good as any
body. S'pose you don't want to go along
with me, do you?"
sLet me see-four o'clock-yes, T'n 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
ionabte 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 Sun
day with becoming carefulness. There
was little likeness in the face-a trifle too
fair for manly beauty, with it's blonde
moustache and setting off close brown
curis, to the bronze and beardless one,
with the few locks; spare and gray, be-
meath the well brushed hat; and the blue
eyes were the same inaboth and like those
that were closed forever under the sod in
the apple orchard on Uncle Abel's farm,
where his dead sister was laid when John
was tiny child. 1t troubled John not a
whit to be seen with the plain countryman;
in spite of his perfumed hair and we'll -glov-
ed hand, his heart was true as steele to the
good friends of his boyhood, and the in
quiring glances Of his companions gave him
no annoyance whatever.
They reached Madame Rozette's at last,
and John lounged in the doorway and
straightway engaged in the laudible en-
ployment of finding out the prettiest face
of the girls in attendance. Josie Molliet,
radiant with smiles, and | think little ar
tificial bloom, came forward with the most
bewittching glances to wait upon the far
mer who brought so attractive a person
with him; and fancying that she would
made up her mind to quiz Uncle Abel un-
mercifully. Poor man! He was never so
miserable in all his life. In Hopetown he
would have made no trouble whatever.
Miss Crabtree, Ill her plain dress and cap
with lavender ribbons, would have told him
at once what to get; and little gray eyes
But here was fine lady, with a great
circumference of black silk trailing out
along the carpet, a waist no bigger than a
wasp, a head on which the hair seemed
struggling in crimps and curls to get away
from the shining bands strapped tightly
around it, and pair OF bright black eyes
looking straight at him, while the damsel
held up one style after the other or tried
them on coque,ishly, but derived no help
from him.
"Now, young woman, show me some Of
your bonnets; real nice ones. None of
your old fashioned poor things for my
wife,
Having said this, Uncle Abel felt that he
had stated the case clearly and should
have no trouble.
Miss Josie sailed about and returned
with white chip gypsy, trimmed with
Dlue, shirred green satin with rose on
1t, and gray straw trimmed with scarlet
poppies.
"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 Frenchified
girl know it, so he only said, ooh, that's
the style, eh? 1t amt bit like Betsey's
old one, thought
'oh, no, sir; the fashion has changed en-
tlrely. Now this gypsy is the newest thing
out, and your wife would set the fashion.
| don't doubt"
She looked up at John Dare merrily, but
she could not interpret the look in his
eyes, SO taking it for granted that it was
an expression Of admiration, she pursued
the same strain.
"Just fresh from Paris; l am sure vour
you ?'' -'A
"Wa'al, yes, I can tell better how It
looks then. Now it looks like dish. ),
"ihere, 1t goes on this way" and Josie
pitched the little thing over her rosy face
tied the strings in big bow knot and
swept down the length of the room.
''Don't you like it ?''
"Wa'al, it's kind O. purity; but it's aw
full queer; amt it, John ?"
John thus appealed to, could only answer
that he knew nothing in the world about
women's bonnets," and took up his reve-
re- whatever it was, just where it was bro
ken OIL. But looking idly in the long mir
ror opposite, he saw Josie making. signs to
another girl, and he saw that thew were
amusing themselves vastly at the perplexity
OF their customer. He saw, too. that a
pale, quiet girl with smooth brown hair
looked up from her work Indignantly. and
he rather saw than heard her saw. "For
shame" and grow crimson as she.spolre
His own face flushed little as be became
aware that Uncle Abel was being made the
butt of their jokes-good Uncle Abel. who
was looking SO admiringly at the tabricks
incomprehensible to him, his old heart only
full OF the thought how he should make his
present worthy of the patient soul for whom
it was intended.
Then John was greatly perplexed; for.
as he said truly, he knew nothing about ali
that mysterious and bewildering arrange