Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-12-13

sDafy rose. Every" eshe retorted
nerrily. Already the prospect of
dub morning was swept oaway.
ssthank you for your suggestion,
cousin minc,". she went on. ssPn take
myself home, and see what cam
evolve. from my boxes of ribbons and
velvets. Poor old Mrs. Fiske! With
that old battered bonnet in view, out
of very pity I wouldn't be surprised
if I created masterpiece"
I A light kiss and Daily was gone out
Rof the studio and up. the street to-
ward home
It was yet early, and as she opened
upstairs to her pretty room. she
1ightness of heart. Her blues. were
gone and her fingers fairly ached to
begin her facinating work.
9 At lunch time she came downstairs
with a glowing face. dancing merrily
in upon papa who had just come
home, She held something carefully
in her hand. Papa" she demanded,
If nobody told you, what would you
can this?''
o She held the something before him.
It was a black velvet bonnet. daintily
and exquisitely made. There was a
pretty bow of lace and satin in the
front. and little at one side dropped
a lovely purple flower. There were
wide, rich, black satin strings to give
it a last and. perfect touch.
Papa looked at it critically before
he spoke, then he smiled. "Bless my
soul!'' he cried, ''if it isn't a bonnet,
and the very prettiest oneoIve seen
this long time. An old lady's bonnet,
| isn't it, my dear. It must be, for it
looks good deal like the one mother
used to wear"
s'Itis good deal like it, said Dafy
well pleased.
where did you get it, dear?"
Is "Made it, papa"
| Papa stared. Hitherto he had re-
garded his gay, bright. girl as some
thing of a butterfly, beautiful to look
at, but incapable somehow of produc-
ing anything half so sensible and use
| full.
Seeing his interest, .Daffy, without
further preface, seated herself on his
knee and told him all about it. Ills
ten, papa" she began. ''Do you know
III was feeling blue this morning"
Papa pinched the, rosy cheek and
laughed.
""Well, was, and I went over to
Hates for sympathy. Twas bemoan-
ing the fate that I couldn't play, OF
sing, or paint, as she does, when she
put this idea into my head. You know
I always make my own hats. I love
to, some way, and can always suit
L hat than finest a c
anywhere in the city. Well, Kate
tcheered me up by saying it was almost
as great gift to create a bonnet as
it was to paint picture. Isn't that
just like the dear girl? Then abe
finished by calling my attention to ole
Mrs. Fiske's bonnet"
s''Old Mrs. Fiske's bonnet?" repeated
papa. .'The old lady who lives dowr
by the church and who is SO very
poor?"
Daffy hooded. ''The same" she an
swered. :?
i ''WeH, her old bonnet is nearly fall
ing to pieces" she went on, land Kate
put the thought in my heart to make
her a new one. So came home in {
q hurry and have worked steadily al
the morning. Behold the result"
".A1nd a very pretty result, an
sure," said papa, touched in spite O
, himself. $50 you're going to presen
it to her, are. you? WE'LL be careful
: to do it gracefully, and if you neet
any capital to carry on this mission
| airy enterprise, come to your father
I'm not sure but that it's a real Chris
ton one, too," went on papa thought
fully, for many a good sermon ha
4 fallen on stony ground because of ,
) 6shabby hat or bonnet. The weare
t never forgets it, if the minister does
Put a good hat on q woman's hea,
J and you add to the pastors. useful
ness, and at. the same time increas
, her self-respeet. So good luck to- you
4 new work. little daughter, and ma.
t. it flourish and prosper.2
$ 1t was. Monday afternoon. Mrs
3 Fiske was washing dishes in her it'll
81 kitchen. 1t was blue Monday witt
E her too for the morning had been
a discouraging one. The wrinkled hand
shook a little as she lifted from tn
e water. the coarse and cracked dishes
? placing them on the little rougl
? table. Mrs. Fiske was Il and her hal
t Twas white, old and poor, and now sh
1 could no longer work as she had al
ways done. Living alone as she die
e she had fallen into the habit Of tall
: ing to herself. =
e When she had put the few dishe
7 away into the old: wooden cupboard
: the first thing she did was to go int
1 the next room- There was n close
in it, and she went to it and took fror
f. it an old, dilapidated handbook. Sh
r lifted the lid and drew from It . Dor
81 net, aobattered, dingy, black bonne'
q with rusty, worn strings. AZ sh