The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-07-19

neat and nice.
Without no poprys nor flu dub
berries, mind you, il you expect arY
dime from me, put in Mrs Peters.
1t will probably be plain enough to
please you, grandmother, replied Mrs.
Hodge, with no trace OF resentment in
her voice, for everybody knew that
Granny Peters was one of the kindest
hearted old ladies in the world, not
withstanding the sharp tongue that con-
tinually behed her real character.
Mrs. Hodge kept summer b :arders,
and among them that summer was a
young married man named Hill, who
went TO Hartford Saturday, returning
the same day. He was very o5lisin.
AMI frequently execute Iitil. commi5
ions ioi Mrs. Hodge In the city. His
wlc was in the South with an Invalid
moth r.
Mrs. Hodge did not want to 90 to
Hartford, and wrote her niece In regard
to the bonnet, determining to ask Mr..
tiil to call for it when he went to the
city on the following Saturday.
"Certainly, ,certainl?,' said M.. Hill in
his kindly way when Mrs. Hodge mide
her request known to him. 1T won't be
the least bit of trouble, for, IS it hap
pens, have to 60 to that very milliner's
today TO get bonnet my wife has sent
for and have it expressed to her. She's
going to some kind of garden party
down in Georgia and had to have a
new bonnet from her own miliner, ex-
pressly for the occasion. I'll just kill
two birds with one stone by getting
your bonnet at the same time | get my
wfe's."
"You are very kind" replied Mrs.
Hodge, "and now if you'll just leave
the bonnet at Pastor DillY's house on
your way out here from the tram, it will
complete the whole business. I'll give
you little pote to leave with It,"
The note read as follows:
"Dear Sister DAly: Will you please ac-
cept this little gift we send today as a
| birthday remembrance and slight testi
monial of the esteem and affection of
THE LADIES SOCIETY,""
Mr.. Hill said he would see that the
note was left with the bonnet and good
Mrs. Hodge felt rejoiced that her little
plan had been carried through so sue
cessfully. She felt, too, the satisfaction
one always feels over the performance
of kind deed.
The next day was delightfully."- cool
and balmy for midsummer and had 1t
been less fair no doubt every member
of the Ladies Society would have gone
to church to see the bonnet toward
which they had all contributed As it
was, they were all there. The pretty
little church was full, many of the sum
mer boarders in the neighborhood hav-
ing come out for the first time.
II am awfully glad Sister Dlly don't
have to wear that old bonnet today"
whispered Mrs. Hodge to Mrs. Well
man as they entered the church porch
side, "and l do hope the members of
the society will ike the bonnet; but
hain't much doubt about that. My
nice has splendid taste.
The other members of the society
has already arrived, and were sitting in
their pews staring very hard at Sister
Dllly's bonnet. Mrs. Hodges eyes
at once sought out the Dilly pew and
her lips almost gave ut:erance TO a dis
tinct "My good land !" when she saw
the bonnet. She felt that the eyes of all
the members of the society were turned
toward her, some in reproach, some in
keen displeasure. Among the latter were
the shining. keen black eyes of Grand
mother Peters. The old lady's pew
was directly behind Mrs Hodges's,
and as that lady took her seat Mrs.
Peters leaned forward and said acr,lly !:
Now, you've done it Matildy Jane
Hodge. amt you? You shan't have
any dime of mine to help pay fer
maxim our pastors wife disgrace to
the neighborhood Look at her a-set-
lin there with her head hung down if
she was shamed Of herself, ez she no
doubt is, and orter be
Mrs. Dilly's gray head was indeed
bowed down and on in was a dainty
little white lace bonnet with ties of pink
satin ribbon and white tulle. A bristl-
ing pink pom pom stood bravely up in
front in military sort of a way and
the graceful tail feathers of bird of
paradise foated jluntily out behind
over Sister Dllly's meagre little twist of
gray hair. A wreath of pink ard white
daisies seemed trying to hide in the
meshes of lace and tu!le, but every
offending flower was seen by Granny
Peters.
Mrs. billy looked very uncomforta-
Bile, although evidently trying to appear
calm and self-possessed. She was a
good woman, but one untraveled and
unversed III the ways and fashions of
the world. Sac gave no heed to the
fashions, but when she had taken the
bonnet fromits box the night before she
had held it up on the fingers of one