The Republican journal., 1907-08-01
can't get it next year I'm not goin' to
look at IL AGAIN -

you can have it now if you want it, and
pay when you can! The bonnet is
yours, as any one in Dorset can tell"'
But this magnanimous offer Mrs.
Bloom refused. ''Never!'' she said,
with vigorous shake of her gray head.
s'I'd as lief hev the life pestered out o.
me at once as to know / was wearin'
bunnet tibet wasn't paid for. Jest you
put it away, an next year, sure as my
name is Mary Bloom, I'll get it. I'll
jest start in now with this nickle. Who
knows what might happen in year.
Land sakes! think O. old Cummin's left
fortune in day! No, I'll wait. Luck
must turn, they say, an I'll keep away
from prayer-meetin's religiously when
my bank is full. Seems sinful like,
but land after l done it l jest sobered
down sudden, an says to myself, Shoot
the preacher!' AS for the bunnet, I'd
put some tobacco or campfire with it.
l believe I'll try it on again before you
put it away"
Saving was no easy matter for Mrs.
Bloom. By March of the next year,
however, she had managed to gather
mostly in pennies-the sum of three
dollars. But alas for the savings! No
missionary this time, but palmist,
was to get the bonnet. One glance at
a palm would suffice to show him the
past, present and future of the person
who consulted him. A life history
would be given for the small sum OF
fifty cents.
"What do you think O. tibet, Tilda?"
Some folks say you can't 60 beyond
palmistry."
81 don't know, ma" said Tilda. 'You
l,n r. ha f,,f h1,f
be sure of the fifty cents
Eyes" said Mrs. Bloom, retlectively,
''but | Jest wish | could find out if I'm
goin' to get tibet bunnet. Seems as
though | could take life easier if |
only knew"
Il guess you won't get it, ma" re-
marked Tilda, drily. I'm no palmist,
but can tell you that, and save your
fifty cents"
But Mrs. Bloom was unconvinced.
That afternoon she slipped quietly out
of the house, and went to the fortune
teller's. He was unable to see any di-
rect allusion to the bonnet in her palm.
He doubted if he could find out except
by giving her life horoscope.
do you find tibet in the palm?" ask
ed Mrs Bloom.
mo. madam, l find it out by the
stars"
do tellr' exclaimed mis- patron, in
astonishment. Il suppose the stars
come bit higher?"
1.-TWO dollars, madam; but it is sure
thing"
Mrs. Bloom gave a gasp. Land
sakes!" she said, after a moments
hesitation, sit seems to me its economy
to get it, for if l amt goin' to get it,
amt, an l needn't poster my life out
with savin'. But if | am goin' to get
it, am, savin' or not! Well, hand it
over!
But the horoscope could not be given
for two days, and during those days
Mrs. Bloom was on the jump. When
it came, she tore the paper open eager
ly.
WELL" said Tilda, from who the
secret could not be kept, what does it
say, MAJ"
Land. Says I'm a widow. AS
though | hewitt known tibet for the
last ten year. Says down here tlet its
dangerous for me to travel by railroads
or to go on boats, but there amt one
word bout the bunnet."
This last blow was too much, and
with fire in her eye Mrs. Bloom went
out to look for the palmist. But the
palmist had left town. Then, with
grim determination in her face, she
went to the milliner's.
Eve jest come to say, Miss La Field,
tibet | can't get the bunnet. I've ben
done out O. my money for the third
time"
But there's poem about Try, Try
Again, !" suggested Miss La Field,
suppose nothing said Mrs. Bloom.
'1've just got fifty cents left. Like as
not, some one will get tibet away from
me before | get home. Perhaps, though,
if you're willn', I'll try it on once
more"
Miss La Field went to the small,
dark closet in which the bonnet was
kept. Il haven't looked at it since the
last time you were here" she said, as
she took off the cover of the handbook.
"Oh, myn'
At her exclamation of dismay, Mrs
Bloom peered into the box. Then, put.
ting in her hand, she grasped the bon
net. 1t came to pieces in her fingers.
The velvet was riddled with small holes,
and the plume fell apart at her touch.
'Moths!" said Miss La Field, family.
Il never used the camphor!"
Didn't l tell you to-" said Mrs.
Bloom, with as much severity in her
tone as was possible for her to use
81 know, | know" faltered Miss La
Field. But somehow l always asso-
ciate camphor with corpses. l never
did like to use it. Oh, deary me! If
only you had taken it home, as asked
you tov'
There, now,' said Mrs. Bloom,
soothingly, 'never mind! CAN see the
hand O. Providence in the hull thing.
Like as not, the eggs was in it from the
start, an if l he'd he'd it all this time it
would hev ben ct up long ago. Don't
you worry, Miss La Field. Providence
hes ben against that bunnet the hull
time or I'd "a got it long ago. There's
one thing we can always be sure of,
thet's Providence! We can't be sure o
nothing else; we don't know when we'll
hev famines or earthquakes or plaques,
or even bunnets, for tibet matter, but
it's comfort to hev Providence!
Land sakes! but there's load off
my mind now don't hev to save for
tibet any more. l can give this here
fifty cents to old Deacon Hills to get
his glasses mended. 1t fairly posters
the life out Of me in church to see them
tumblin' off his nose every minute.
He's only got one bow to them, you
know"
''But your bonnet?" said Miss La
II ~ )