Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-09-10
Mrs. Barton $
Bonnet
By NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1914. by Associated Lit
erary Press
3, NJ. QuAr.

Mrs. Moses Barton. residing IN a New
England village.
In the days Of Mrs. Barton the wom-
en- OF the land, from high to low, wore
bonnets.
Mrs. Barton's bonnet. at the time
the important event happened, was
seven years old. 1t had gone through
many trials and fluctuations and had
good little woman must have a new
one, and she sighed at the thought
Moses was a man who hung on to bis
pennies to the last The campaign
must be got under way, however, and
when he came In to rest his back from
hoeing In the garden she trembiuxly
said:
Moses, have been looking at my
old bonnet"
why do you call II old7" he asked.
Because it's seven years old"
well. isn't my Sunday hat nigh If
teenY"
"But other women are getting new
bonnets." she mildly protested.
"But you have got nothing to do
with other womens souls. IL they
had rather have new bonnets than go
TO heaven when they die. that's for
them to say. You can have shil-
ungs to buy some new ribbons to trim
with. but 1t must stop there for two
or three years longer"
That settled It There We're tears.
but no mutiny.
Next day the important event took
place. Moses wouldn't give mp the
price because he was stingy. II the
wife could get 81 or IS some other
way he would probably not object to
her investing 1t In bonnet. Could
she wash and iron for neighbor?
Could she make new rag carpet for
some OF theng She was scheming
away when the matter was settled for
her. Moses was going away for n
week to visit relative. and she would
go to the big huckleberry marsh and
pick and sell berries.
Providence ought TO feel very tender
toward a woman with seven-year-old
bonnet, and IL surely did in this case.
Mrs. Barton arrived at the marsh.
but hadn't picked berry yet when
she came upon horse begged In the
swamp. 1t belonged to a village mer-
chant and was fine and valuable ami
NAL. The thing to do was TO throw
away the pail and make tracks and
notify the owner Of the helpless horse.
That's just what Mrs. Barton did, and
a lot OF men went to the swamp and
pulled the animal out.
OF course the owner was very CRATE
ful. He knew that neighbor would
not take money as a reward, and he
asked his wife what could be done.
why, You can present Mrs. Barton
with a new bonnet" was the reply.
II happen to know that her present
one Is seven years old and that her
husband thinks II ought TO last seven
more"
The merchant kept general store.
which included even millinery. and the
wife selected an eight dollar bonnet
aud carried II over. There were thanks
and tears In return. Mrs. Barton could
hardly contain herself until her hus-
band reached home. She had the bon
net on when he entered the house.
Take 1t or" he growled after one
glance.
But II was present TO me-
Then give 1t right back
The wife told him the story of the
begged horse. but he insisted that an
eight dollar bonnet was an invention
OF Satan and could not be allowed In
the house. Then something almost
miraculous happened. The little and
humble Mrs. Barton stood right up
before her husband and said:
II shall keep the new bonne-so
therer'
Mary
~ SHALL SHALL shallr'
you Will take Ii back to Mr.. Brown
and tell him you had rather have 81
In money"
al never will.'
Then | will leave the houser'
Despite the threat she refused 10
obey. and he went 10 the house OF n
sister TO pass the night. That sister
didn't have an eight dollar bonnet.
and she didn't want her sisterin-law
Growing over her, and so she naturally
braced the husband up TO carry his
point
Almost before breakfast next morn.
ing ii was known all over the village
that Mr.. and Mrs Barton had quarrel.
ed about her new bonnet and separat-
ed. The wives naturally said:
why. the old curmudgeon! Did you
ever hear of the hke?"
And the husbands naturally said:
Barton has done perfectly right
These seven and eight dollar bonnets
are bringing ruin upon the country!"
Before the sun went down that even
ing the villagers were divided into two
factions and taking things very seri-
ously.
The row was still on and hotter than
ayar v~han portnp falI into thu