New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-10-28
BY Maude {
SuIIxJon
: Copyright, 1903, by T. G. Mcclure
+ e*e*o*e*e+eT| Q


her? Could anything make her appear
lovely in his sight? She was asking
herself these questions as she stood in
Mrs. Yardwel's millinery shop survey
ing the mass of lace and flowers that
rested on her sunny head.
81 tell you what Mis- Newcomb,''
said Mrs. Yardwell, ready to close a
bargain. If Daniel don't like it or he
thinks it too high priced I'll agree to
change it. Most all my hats are sold
with that understanding. Husbands
have to be pleased nowadays"
"'Tisn't the price. Daniels real lib
eral. I'll take it" answered Betty nerv-
ously as she opened her purse. There
was a wistful look in her hazel eyes as
she asked, did you know Mary Ellen,
Daniels first wife?''
"From the time she was baby"
"Would she have worn a hat like
this?"
Land, no! Them buttercups wouldn't
"a looked we'll agin Mary Ellen's red
face to say nothin' Of the poppies. I'd
as soon looked fer tossels Oh q clothes
line as fer posies on Mary Ellen. Even
If she'd been inclined to wear 'em, she'd
have faltered at the cost. She was ex-
tremely prudent"
$50 Daniel says" murmured Betty
as she left the shop. Her precious
head gear deposited carefully in the
wagon, she unhitched her horse and
started it toward the trim farmhouse
by the river. Mrs. Yardwell watched
her until her slender figure faded from
sight. Then she went into her work
room.
"Sereny," she said to her helper,
Daniel Newcomb's new wife is real
takin' little thing, as sweet an pretty
as t'other was humbly an stingy. Pm
afraid from what she said that Daniel
is Mary Ellenin' her to death. Poor
little thing! do hope she is happy"
But Betty was not happy. Many
times since her marriage had she look
ed with tear filed eyes toward the lit
tie burial plot beneath the evergreens
and prayed that she might fill the
place in her husbands heart formerly
occupied by the woman sleeping there.
Her husbands approval of her was
gagged by the way her actions Tailed
with Mary Ellen's. 1
Daniel was not displeased, but the
difference in the women was so strik-
ing that more than once he was quite
The first wife, a model housewife, had
faculty of making people feel uncom-
Portable in her presence. Betty
household duties might be performed a
tr1fe less religiously, the dust might
sometimes settle upon the parlor fur
niture, but the sunlight crept there,
too, and her very nature radiated CON-
patibility. <
On one occasion the usual COMPARE
son remained unexpressed. Betty had
called her husband into the brightly
lighted parlor and pointed proudly to
the old sofa piled high with pillows
covered with chintz and denims. She
had found some unused feather beds
in the attic and In them had seen the
possibilities of cozy corner such as
she had often admired In the shop
windows. Before Daniel could utter
the customary MARY Ellen wouldn't
have done that" she invited him to
test its comfort and, lulled by the
luxurious softness, the remark was
lost in doze. Thereafter it was his
favorite retreat and one not forbidden
him. Shade of Mary Ellenl How was
Betty to know that the unused feather
beds and the darkened parlor were the
pride Of her predecessors heart?
1t was with many mfsgivings that
she called Daniels attention to her
new hat. There was no mistaking the
/ disapproval in his. countenance.
"You-going -that?' he
gasped. Ill.,
"Why, yes. Don't you like it, Dan
lel?" Betty perched it bewitchingly on
her head. : AEH ~
cts pretty enough. But how those
red flowers will look agin the Grape
band on my hat! I vowed I'd show all
respect to Mary Ellen, and that band
can't come off In less than year.
Amt you got no respect for appear
ances? Red peoples agin black Grape!
Oh, Betty, can't you understand how
feel?" One look at the bright head and
the nodding flowers, and Daniel dashed
out toward the barn.
Poor Betty! She removed the hat
and fell weeping into chair. Yes; she
understood. She knew now how lonely
he was, and she would show him that
she sympathized with him. Hurriedly
she wrapped up the offending head
dress and slipped from the house. II
was long, hot walk back to the MILL.
ners, but her one thought was to gel
back to Mrs. Yardwell.
Mrs. Yardwell,.. she cried breath
lessly after.Mhat seemed an eternity Of
walking, I've come to change my hat
I've got to have mourning bonnet"
| oe tas hand sakesr' exclaimed tn