The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-07-19
SISTER DILLY'S BONNET.
BY XENAS DANE

| The Ladies 5 JriStY Of an active; lit
| tie county church met one FiriI,
allern. on at the home of Mrs. J1na,
Wellm n. Every mcuber was present,
and all were in such a pleasant. m, rry
mood that Mrs. Cyrus Hodge thought
il good time to mention something
she had had III mind Tor several days !;
so, during momentary lll! in the con,
versalion, she sal
"Sjs'er DiIll's wearing her old winter
bonnet again this summer, amt she ?"
aye, !; l noticed it Sunday, and it
looked awfully old and hot for such "a
warm summer day. She's worn thS1
one old fashioned back velvet bonneJ
with them cheap black ostrich tips for
four years, and It's only cotton velvet
at that | should think she might con-
trive some way TO get her another, even
il we don't pay brother Dilly but three
hundred year."
81 get me new bonnet every sum-
mer with my egg money, and Sister
Dhly has hens a layin' right along"
said Mrs. WelIman.
"You can set real neat. black
rough and-ready straw bonnet in town
now for forty-iour cents" said Mrs.
PIurm.
"Yes, but don't suppose Sister Dilly
feels that she can spend even that much
for bonnet and buy the trimmin's
too" said Mrs. Hodge. "You know
them three little orphan gran children
of hers was sick most all winter and
her and Brother Dllly had medicine
and doctors to pay for, and Brother
Dlly either had to have a new suit this
spring or stop preachin', an that cost
over twenty dollars. Then they're
paying off that mortgage of three hun
drcd dollars that's been on their place
so long"
"Ycs, that's So" sad Mrs. Ell Curry.
Sister Dlily told me the other day
that they'd paid 1t all off but fifty dol
lars ard she didn't feel that she'd a
cent to spend fer anything but home
an furrin missions till t1at mortgage
was lifted an she'd ruff of her own
over her head. I'd feel just so if l
was sixty years old, and in her place.
| doubt if I'd feel called on to give ten
dollars year to missions of any kind
as Sister Dllly does"
Well, now, see here, said Mrs. Hodge,
coming at once to the point. Sposn'
we club together and make up little
purse and get Sister DillY bonnet for
a birthday gift. She'll be sixty week
from Sunday. | know cause I'm fifty
nine the same day and was both born
in the same county, and our names is
Matlldy, and both our husbands names
is Cyrus, and we've often talked about
how queer that was.
"Now our society's got over fifteen
dollars in the treasury that we've nc
special use for, and | vote that we take
two dollars of that and each member
give ten cents extra beside. Thatl
make three dollars and ninety cents
and we can &c, real neat ard tasty
bonnet for that. What do you all say2'
The proposition was readily agreed
to, and the next hour was spent III dis
cussing the style and make OF bonnets
in general. 1t was agreed upon that
Sister Dllly should be kept in profound
ignorance of the action Of the society
and it was further agreed that the bon
net should be black.
A black bonnet is like nice black
drss; it's suitable for almost any and
every occasion, said Mrs. Plumm, and
no,hin' els. is suitable for fun'rals, and
Sister Dilly, benz preachers wife i:
bound to 60 to fun'rals considerable.
l don't think a woman of Sister
Dilly's age had ort to wear flowers ir
her bunnit no how, said old Grand
mother Peters, Mrs. W-IIman's mother
aad the oldest member of the society
No, not even wheat or oats arufishu's
an when it comes to big, flarin' red
poppy, a-standin' straigh. up an a
bobbin, around on top Of body's head
like Climeny Cawker that is only SIX
months and three days younger'n me
wears, think It's perfectly scan lous.
and | allow to tell Climeny Cawker so
the first chance | got.
Now, now, mother SAID Mrs. We'll
man. It's only mere matter Of taste,
l don't object to little bunch of quie'
colored artifcials on even an old lady's