The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-07-18
Lovely /. Hannah cried ecst.t;c

ne amt going TO wear 1T, said
Amanda. And pink is Frank Bonds
favorite color, You know"
This decided the question. The bon
net was purchased, packed into paper
box and safely bestowed under the buggy
scat.
Hannah Poland went home half
frightened, hGlf-deighted, with the bar
, gain she had made. But she was thank
ful that on their return it was twilight
enough for her to smuggle the bandbox,
unseen, into her own room, while size
, satisfied her fathers curiosity with a
sight OF some calico she had purchased,
few yards of ribbon, a wide-brimmed
straw hat for the old gentleman's own
use, and half dozen palm-eaf fans.
"But you didn't spend all your money
on thisi" said Mr.. Poland, checking up
the sums on his fingers.
"No-I-bought bonnet" -.
Glow much yc give for it1" ~
"Six dollars"
The truth again, but not the whole
truth
"Six dollarsl Whcw! Your ma never
give that for Il bonnet in her life.p
Things cost more row, pa"
oval, you must be awful sayin Of it,
that's all. Then there's two dollars left.
Guess you'd better send that to old Aunt
Betsey up at Three Big Pines. We amt
done much for her this year. and she was
your mas own aunt. VIII you write to
her, or shall II"
I'll write, pa" said Hannah, with
sinking heart.
She was already beginning to repent of
her bargain in bonnc;s.
She rcpentcd still more that night when
before her cheap little pine-framed mirror
she tried on the now treasure. In itself
it was undoubtedly very pretty; but the
delicate color seemed to accCntuate every
freckle, every patch of sunburn, every
separate hair in the cowlick.
II look like the owl that Peter Hib-
bard caught last week. she muttered to
herself. "But perhaps if / used little
pomatum, and washed my face in butter
milk every night until sunday"
And she put away the new bonnet with
a sigh.
Nv ipiHiiNlth blONH WIN AlN Ghl
quills would have been far more becom-
ing she thought. IL wonder if they
would exchange itE
Mr.. Perkins called the next day to see
ii Miss Poland would contribute anything
for the children's picnic, and with burn
ing cheeks and heart throbbing with
secret modification, Hannah was obliged
to decline.
~ know he thinks me mean and
stingy," thought she. "but what am
to doi"
Amanda Troll was the next visitor.
"Oh, Hannah, " said she, ''could you
make it convenient to let me have that
two dollars lent you! I've chance to
buy silk cape real cheap--all jetted,
you know, such MS Mrs. Deacon Wales
wears-and I'm little short of money
Hannah turned first red, then pale.
"If you could take it out in eggs"
she began.
Eggs, indeed, Who wants eggs2"
said Amanda, Grossly. "When lent you
that money | expected you to be ready to
repay it when asked for it. However,
! dare say your father"
"Oh, don't say word about it to pa"
cried Hannah.
And she went tn little table drawer,
where she knew that Mr.. Poland kept his
money, took ont u two-dollar bill and
handed it silently to Amanda.
I'm replace it when Mrs. Willett pays
mo Tor that butter" she thought. ITS
only loan"
At sigh, of the cash payment Amanda
rcgaincd her cquipoisc and smiled again,
"llayc You heard the uewsi" said she.
mo. What news"
"Nmak Bond is engaged to Kitty
pcil.'
Hannah felt herself grow scarlet to the
very roots of the redoubtablc cowlick.
How she hated herself for that dreadful
habit OF blushing at the wrong time!
ii hope they'll be happy stam-
mcycl she, and Amanda secretly chucklcd
% herself
Then it's true" she thought. "IIan-
nGh Poland was dead in love with Mr..
Bond. As ii ne would ever have given
II second thought to such coarse, plain
girl ms she is,'
Poor iIanuahl She had had her day
dreams, and many WAS the scalding tear
that dropped into the milk pan of cur
rants tina, she was stcmming to make jelly
tins. day.
She went over TO Mrs. Willctt to ask
for the butter money Us soon us the cur
rant Jelly was strained through the ilan-
mel bag. Mrs. Willett, however, like
many another boarding house keeper, was
short of resources.
IL can't pay ye, Hammer, till my city
family pays me, said she, And what's
more, don't like TO be dunned, neither.
Praps on Friday or Saturday"
And with that, Hannah was forced to
be content.
On Sunday morning, she dressed for
church in her best white gown, neatly
laundried by her own hands, and went to
take out the pink tullo hat with the hum
ming bird.
But, to her dismay, the closet door had
been left open-sho had not replaced the
lii on the bandboX; ard there, in the
very centre OF the rosebuds and tullc puff
fings, lay the old gray cat with family
Of three downy kittens!