Daily Republican., 1889-07-05
a POSITIVE WOMAN.

Bthhb 1fgluH vi u new UOnueh Due Whh
plump little woman with fair, bqby.ike
face, and no one could blame her for faz-
Ing at herself with some complacehcy, for
the dainty bit of millinery perched over
the curly brown bang was exceedingly
becoming.
"There'll be nothing like IL In Hrtchin-
ville," she said TO herself, with thrill of
pride, aud her fingers meanwhile Hut
tered like humming. birds among the
trimmings, touching here flower and
there loop.
She was going TO Hutchinville tho next
week, for the first time sit CO her mar
riage, to spend q few days with her
mother, and the bonnet had been selected
from Madame lie Grande's latest impor-
tatons with view 10 dazzling her rural
friends.
IL only hope nothing win happen to 1t
before get there" was her thought. as
she turned at last from the mirror.
She even deniei herself the pleasure o,
wearing IL 70 church the next day, fear-
Ing shower, for the skies were loweritg e.
To face her city acquaintances for one
more Sunday IN the bonnet that she had
already worn a whole season required far
less strength of mind than 10 take her
seat in the little lIu.chinville church,
cont cious that her bonnet, robbed OF its
pristine freshness, was being pounced
upon by every eye IN the congregation;
but abe could not resist putting 1t on to
let Jack see how he liked It.
tits pretty well up IN the world" said
Jack. viewing II critically, with his hands
behind him. "but that seems TO be the
fashion In headgear nowadays. And
really, on your head, my dear, 1t looks
remarkably we'll"
Mrs. Prindle preened for moment be-
fore the glass. She wss almost tempted
to wear 1t, after all, but a warning plash
on the window kept her from yielding.
II won't risk II" she said; and putting
the bonne' hack In It's nest, she stood on
tiptoc and pushed the bandbox in place
on the upper lheli OF the wardrobe.
Hutchlnyille WINS nights journey By
boat, and tue next day proving stormy,
Mrs. Prindlo,in terror Of sea sickness, de-
cided 10 defer her trip; but with tie wan
ding OF the afternoon the wind suddenly
shifted, the clouds parted, and tie sun
burst forth like monarch newly crown.
ed. II 1t was going to be fair night, II
would be too bad 10 disappoint her moth
er, who she knew would be looking fol
her the next morning, and ordering @
|
gathered up her baggage and departed.
She was "a methodieal little woman, aud
even for the short time tina. She was to
occupy her stnte-room she wanted "a
place Tor everything and everything In itt
place." but on boarding the boat she met
an invalid friend who detained her fot
half IN hour or more In the ladies' cabin,
| and before she could arrange her belong.
| inGs In her btate-rooln the capricious
| wind had veered again.
She stood for q moment at the window
| trying to persuade herself that there was
| no cause for uneasincse, but the rain was
already driving against the deck, AID the
Increasing rous hIess soon compelled her
to take refuge in her berth,
| To all those on board who were predis.
posed to sea sickness il was night Of
woe, and when the next morning Mrs.
Prlndle took the stage for Hutchnville
the little village being about three miles
inland, she was too exhausted to give
thought to her baggage, eyon the precious
bonnet had for the moment drif.ed out o
her mind, and II was not until she allghtet
at her mothers door that the discover,
was made that the bandbox was misetue
With hasty greetings aud equally hastl
directions as to where 10 find the box, he
brother Tom was dispatched on horse
hack TO the boat, and in disturbed stat.
OF temper and nerves Mrs. Prindle seated
herself at the breakfast table.
II wouldn't worry about 1t, phebe,
said her mother; "it'll be all right If yov
lett It In your state-room"
But Tom shortly came galloplng bacl
with the information that the s'ate room
had been searcled 10 vain; not box @
any kiud could be found.
"Tben that maid must have taken Il,
Mrs. Prndle declared. "She had to z
rummaging among my things last nigh
for my bottle of salts, and dare say tn
bandbox took her eye"
"Morc likely It slipped overboat,
when thy were bringing your trap
ashore" remarked Tom, with hoy's re
pugnance to having people suspected.
But Mrs. Pr!ndle, convinced that til
band-box was in the waiting maids po;
session, insisted on going herself TO sc
the captain.
The captain, who had Just risen fror
breakfast when the carry-sll stopped a
the gate, listened to Mrs. Plindle's stor
with courteous patience. Mrs. Bate
had been on the boat for IL years, h
said, and he had never had cause TO eus
pect her honesty; but he was most williu
TO investigate the matter. 1t was poss
Bile that Mrs. Bates had taken the box
her room simply for safe keeping, he sug
gested.
But Mrs. Bates, who had just llnshe
putting In order the state-room Mrt
Prindle had occupied. denied al
knowledge of the band-box, and was s
Indignant over Mrs. Prindle's implie
| auapi,,inn that tho Paptatu had gpm
difficulty In preventing q scene.
"It's very strange, said Mrs. Prindlt
. stiilly, as the captain helped her over tn
gang plank "a box like that couldn
have gone off without Lauds. Someb0d
must know something about 1t, and II
isn't the maid It must be some Of the pa,
sengers."
But all the passengers had left the boa
and Mrs. prindle herself had TO adm
that to send a search warrant after theI
would be an unwarrautable proceeding
: Beyond question the honuet was lost, an
she returned to Hutchinyille feeling thl
the pleasure Of her visit was already {
an end. Even the fact that her traveliu
hat was pretty affair, and not at all OF
of style, afforded her little consolation
still, she could have worn the travelin
hat In more resigned state Of mind ha
the weather been such as TO make til
D other seem a tritle in advance OF the sea
son; but from the hour of her arrivs
until she turned her face homewart
scarcely n cloud marred the serene azul
| OF the skies. The air wss full OF suit
tints OF bursting buds, and robin song
filled the perfumed lawns, while up an
down the streets from morning TIL riel
the merry children trundled their hoop.