The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-29
AN EASTER BONNET.
A ROMANCE OF THE GOOD OLD
DAYS.
BY MRS. MANDA L. CROKER.

| and poke-bonnets, when the average
! village belle considered it a matter OF
| no small Importance to obtain a poem
in headgear on short notice, that this
| all happened.
| But the eldest daughter of Judge
Bently had solved the problem of an
weeks ahead of time. The city milliner
was to forward to her address "a dream
| of poke in blue velvet and white
plumes, the last of Lent, and she,
Chaf1ty Ann, would see to the rest.
Now, the rest meant wheedling the
Judge out of a respecta BILE bank note
10 square accounts and TO astonish all
Millville; and become the envy of the
belle and the admiration of the beaux
at St GATHERINGS Easter night
over and over the ambitious girl
planned for the conquest; as she
topped up her brown ctlrIs on side-combs
OF real she'll" practiced the opening
carol for the Easter service as first
treble or good-natufedIy washed the
dIshes for Patty, the planning went on.
A part of the plan, also, was to drop
a word, now and them concerning the
love OF a poke" much as a careless
knltter drops stitches. emitting the
motive. So the whiSperings began to
circulate that Miss Bently's Easter
bonnet was to be a marvel in millinery
And while the whisperings went around
and the first treble dreamed of white
plumes. the second treble, sitting at her
elbow evening after evening caught
the fever of being fashionab BILE and
dreamed in unison Nevertheless Char
fty Ann had not the remotest idea that
her musical neighbor, whose faded nea-
politan dating back three long winters
was rusty enough, had laid the afore-
SAID whisperings to heart: and had de-
seventh magnitude poke that the Bent
lyS could ORDER
AS a result Ruth Hamlin surprised
her mother one day by a very startling
question: do you suppose" sh>- began
measuring her words that if 1 should
write to Aunt Prudence of my success
as a second treble at ST. GATHERINGS.
and my special part in the Easter
songs, she would send me a new bon
net, if / hinted-Very deIicately of
course-that I would be the only
shabby one in the chorus, in my old
poke?"
Would 'wh-at?'' and the astonished
mother walked up suddenly to the
weighty interrogative.
Why send me a new bonnet. if I
hinted,' repeated Ruth, impatientIy
perking up the dilapidated bows on the
ancient neapOlitan.
1T is not impossible answered Mrs
Hamlin. after considerable deIibera-
But them" Ruth flushed with the ex-
citement of anticipation. Il don't care
a f1g for the but thens,' she said. en-
Enthusiastically; IF it is not impossible
why it is possible" and away went the
second treble to hint as deIicately as
feminine tact could devise.
After this heroic tack in the direction
of Aunt Prudence HamIin's purse, Miss
Ruth kept her own counsel and slyly
Rugged her precious secret as she lis
tened to the further whisperings of the
marvel in blue velvet
The stage was due at MilIvil1e at
sunset, and the inhabitants were agog
with the excitement usual at the COM
ing of the weekly mail in the rural dis
tricts. To this add the curious expect
ancy of certain interested gossips, and
you have the attitude of the waiting
groups in and about the Golden Sickle
Suddenly, and as if by magic, with a
prolonged toot from his horn, the ven
cradle and voluble stage driver was in
the midst After the nail was disposed
of, the usual array of bundles and box
es were whisked this way and that into
the arms of their RESPECTIVE owners,
while the meaning mods and covert
smiles kept pleasant tally.
OF all the mysterious packages deliv-
cred, however, not one seemed to COM
pare in general interest to the huge, big
Powered bandbox assigned to Amos
Bently, Charity AIMS tall brother But
when Ruth Hamlin put out her hands
timidly from the back row to receive a
formidable looking bundle for a girl in
her circumstances, everybody conclud-
ed that her rich city auntie had once
more tired of an Out-of-date gown.
Charity Ann was tying her satin hood
under her dimpled chin in a precise
bow-knot, when Amos appeared with |
the expected box.
Now" he cried in triumph, you can |
tangle up Orlando Hines, for he is not
proof against starry eyes beneath nod
ding white plumes: eh! Chat"
%, you tease!' laughed she of the |
satin hood, wondrously pleased at the |
reference to the rich mans son who !
lately had shown her marked prefer |
ence> But never mind now she adj |
ded, hastily. Come along, it is getting |
dreadfully late to go to practice. I will |
try it on when l get back"
She was thinking of little tete-a-tete |
with that same Orlando, before the rest I
of the choir came.
Amos deposited the box on the near |
est shelf and followed his sister to st. |
GATHERINGS, wondering somewhat. Sure |
ly Chats heart was not SO vain as ne |
supposed, else she would not have gone |
without even INDUCING in a peek" at |
least.
Be that as it may, she surely had |
vanity enough to be painfully shocked |
ed depths of the bandbox pretty com |
bination of gray and olive green, in |
stead of the dream in blue.
60 my starsi" she almost shrieked, |
and down went the attractive, yet Of |
fensive, millinery into the depths, de- |
spised affair. The brilliant plan rose
up. the whisperings marshalled them
selves and Charity AIMS all-conquering
perspective became bluer than any poke
ever invented. What shall do?'' she |
exclaimed, overcome by it all. 20, dear, /
it is som ebOdyS Wfetched mistake!
By and by, out of the chaos a bright
idea materia1ized and Charity Ann |
seized it.
1T is too late to remedy it, she said. /
trying to be resigned, for tomorrow is |
Easter and I don't mind it much, any
way; besides 1 can wear my new gray |
alpaca now. These colors match it to I
perfection"
Up came the gray and olive-green
combination hurriedly and Charity Ann
continued: "Seei what lovely buckle
and what a fine, rich plume; why, I de-
clare, it is lovely poke! AS to color"
musingly, why, l have changed my
mind at the very last" thinking of the
Whisperings, '-and-well, 1 have, that is
ALI" this very decisively-
But while Miss Bently was thus
bravely Changing her mind" Ruth
HanoIin was going into raptures over
L.. til, Anr,,r |