Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-11-28

white head an unnecessary time over her
drawer. She felt hurt-I know she did.
| She was not vain old lady, but her tastes
were nice, and she knew as well as any of
US younger ones that her bonnet had lost
| its freshness.
Grandma took her knitting work present
ly, and seated herself by the south window
in her armchair. As watched her, fell
to wondering if her thoughts were going
back just now over the years to The
time when Aunt Maria was baby. They
were poor, then, and had heard grandma
tell how she did her own work, and made
shirts for several families to make the ends
meet. Was grandma recalling how she
had sat up nights and sewed to earn money
enough to buy cunning little white hood
made of satin and swans down for her
baby girl! Or did she remember how
many weary stitches it took to earn that
fine, broad-brimmed straw hat trimmed
with white ribbon, that her thirteen-year-
old daughter might be 'like other girlsln
Perhaps her mind dwelt on a story she had
often told me; how, when Aunt Maria was
nineteen, there came an invitation for her
to go to Boston and spend a month.
''Maria felt bad" grandma'S story ran,
'Fbecause she thought her hat wasn't fit to
wear. l had bonnet made of splendid
piece of velvet that my brother sent to ne
from Paris. I didn't say word to any
body. I just slipped upstairs and ripped
that bonnet up, then got your grandfather
to take me to town. l had some money l
had been saving up good while to buy me
a new bombazine dress, but l thought
cheaper one would do just as well; so l just
took some of that money and went to the
best milliner in town. bought long, black
feather-I knew Maria liked 'em-and told
her to make me hat fit to be seen in Bos
ton. l never let on to any body what I'd
done. But you ought to "a seen Maria
when that hat came home If she wasn't
happyl 1t was beauty The long, black
feather curled around her golden hair, and
Just touched her shoulder. In front there
was little white tuft, with some tall birds
o'paradise feathers waving in it. The MILL
ner said 1t needed that, so got it besides.
You've no idea how handsome she looked,
and / enjoyed that hat forty times better
than when 1 had it for mine"
Was grandma thinking: Sand yet Maria
begrudges me a little new ribbon for my
bonnet, as well of as she is, toof' If any
such thoughts disturbed her, they did not
appear on her placid face as she patiently
knitted on.
1t was only a fortnight from that day, and
we gathered again in grandma's room
There was no merry talk. There was that
strange hush which but one presence
brings, broken only by low, sad strains OF
music, and words of consolation spoken in
Subdued tones.
Grandma slept peacefully. There lin
gered on her dear face the light of the ten
der smile she had given US at parting. Fair
flowers were all about her, and noticed, as
bent above her for the last time, how pure
and fresh the white ribbon was which tied
her cap, and then with pang remembered
her old bonnet strings. Dear grandma,
she had gone where garments are without
spot or wrinkle. How she would enjoy the
white raimeut, the purity, the unchanging
freshness of the Heavenly land!
We all loved grandma dearly; for time
it seemed as if we could not go on without
her. One day towards evening longing