The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-04-06
THE BONNET.


en- knows you earn it, working yourself to
death year in and year out for Bob Rig
gers and his children"
Gracious, GerildyI Put sI2 in a bon
nett Why, I'd feel as If / was stealing
from my own family! And people We
say was putting Cd ~airs-tryirg to i0r,
like a girl"
"Well, in there any harm in try;'9t t"
look youngf As to not being ablet,t "
the bonnet, Partly, you ought to ..Jt.s ,
do when | want a thing"
"How's that, Gerildy?"
"Why, l just look Hector Jones =
eyes and tell him it's got to come.
that settles it. He knows l won't, .aut
any foolishness from him."
"But suppose he can't afford it?"
afford it, fiddlesticksl Men can az az
q great many things when they find ,is!
have to-"
"No, Gerildy, you can't persuade roe :"
be extravagant. am trying to hep MY
husband. for he works hard, and | feel
that we ought to do something for tie
poor and needy this winter"
Goodness gracious, Partly Riggers! l
never saw such a woman. You'll be sail
ing off to heaven the first thing you know
you're getting SO good! But suppose we
go and look at the bonnet tomorrow.
That'll not cost your husband or the poor
anything, will it?"
Partly consented, though she had no
idea of buying the bonnet and was sorry
she had mentioned the subject to Mrs.
Jones, for that lady would be sure to de-
uounce the prudence and economy of her
u%eighbor as penuriousness.
Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Riggers entered the
little milliner's together to see the bonnet
with pink roses. To oblige Mrs. Jones
Partly Riggers put it on her head. Mrs.
at once exclaimed: "Don't buy it.
Parthyl 1t doesn't become you at all"
Mrs. Partly was much relieved.
LET me try it on" said Mrs. Jones as
she proceeded to find fault with the bon
net. saying she was much disappointed in
it. She stood before the mirror, however,
and eyed herself ad%miringly on every side.
II might be induced to take it," she said
to the milliner, eff you'll come down in
the price. I don't need it, but the pink
roses are becoming to me-"
"But you've bought your winter bon
net, haven't you, Gerildy?" said Mrs. Rig
gers, with surprise.
Eyes, but l look so well in this - she
said in a low tone, 81 don't think I ought
to lose the chance"
The milliner fell in her price from $12
to $40. Mrs. Jones walked away with the
bonnet, and it was charged on an account
already overd re. On their way home the
two ladies stopped in a store where Mrs.
Riggers wished to make a small necessa-
-ry purchase. Here Mrs. Jones spied a del
icately embroidered pink scarf, which was
a perfect match to the roses on her new
bonnet. "Wouldn't they go sweet togeth-
err" she said. "Just the thing for the
monday wedding Pm going to next week"
"But don't you think it's a good deal
to pay for a scarf, Gerildy?" said Partly.
Mrs. Jones looked down at her little
neighbor with a smile of contempt, order
ed the scarf charged to Mr.. Jones and
walked out.
Passing another store, she remembered
that the gloves bought for her first bonnet
would not go with the new one, SO a pair
of gloves was added to the morning pur-
chases.
The next day Mrs. Jones displayed her
investments to a neighbor as dressy and
silly as herself. AS Mrs. Jones stood with
the pink roses on her head and the pink
scarf wound about her neck, exclaiming,
"Ain't they lovelyl" Mrs. Lighthead rails
ed her eyes and hands in holy horror.
Goodness gracious, Gerildy Jones, are
you going to wear them lovely things with
your old green silk? Why don't you get a
green satin waist for the old skirt? Then
you will make people stare and lay every
body in the shade, sure enough"
That was sufficient. The satin waist was
bought. Trimmed and finished it cost SIC;
bonnet, $40; scarf, 81; gloves, $685.
quite a little sum out of 81, 500 a year,
and poor Jones already tearing his hair
and tossing restlessly at night on account
of money troubles and fear of losing his
position.
But he never told his troubles at home.
He found no sympathy there. The only
check he ever gave Mrs. Jones was to ex-
claim now and then, "For Gods sake, Ger
Idly, have some pity on a manl'
eff you can't support me, Mr.. Jones,
what did you marry me for? Don't for
get how you pleaded with me and what
you promisedr'
Mr.. Jones could only subside into ST.
lence, unable, as men always are, to argue
with extravaganza and selfishness.
The crash came the evening after the
monday wedding, where the lady in pink
and green cut her last splurge.
Mr.. Jones bad lost his place, was heels
over head in debt, had been notified by his
landlord to vacate his house Immediately,
the shopkeepers were after him, and he was
in despair. There was no loving heart to
whom he could pour out his trials, not a
tender hand to stroke his forehead and bid
him be cheerful, promising to help him
over the dark places.
The poor fellow left town and fell back
on bis old father, who had a little farm in
an adjoining county. The old man took
the son in, but affirmed stoutly: "Gerildy
mustn't put on airs here, my boy! You
know we are honest workin folks. Every
body on my place has to work. If they
don't, neither shall they eat"
Ger.ldy is now gracefully performing
over the churn and cook stove. The only
pink roses she wears are in her cheeks, and
the only triumph she wins is the healthful
sleep which honest toll awards her. The
only reproach she ever heaps is OF her own
past life and its sad mistakes.
MI. Riggers, too, encountered adversely.
His salary was cut down, but when he
announced it in his home he met an ear
nest, loyal little face, which said to him:
IN