The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-09-12
Mrs. Barton's
Bonnet
By M. QUAD
By N. QUAD
Copyright. 1913. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

One day, years and years ago. an i'm
portant event took place in the life OF
Mrs. Moses Barton. residing In q 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 tribulations and had
become almost a wreck at last. The
good little woman must have a new
one, and she sighed at the thought.
Moses was a man who hung on to his
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 trembingly
said:
Moses, l have been looking at my
old bonnet"
why do you call it old?" he asked.
because it's seven years old"
"Well. isn't my Sunday hat nigh If
teen"
"But other women are getting new
bonnets," she mildly protested.
But you have got nothing to do
with other women's souls. If they
had rather have new bonnets than go
to heaven when they die. that's for
them to say. You can have 2 shil-
ungs to buy some new ribbons to trim
with, but. it must stop there for two
or three years longer"
That settled it. There were tears.
but no mutiny.
Next day the important event took
place. Moses wouldn't give up 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 it in a bonnet. Could
she wash and iron for a neighbor?
Could she make a new rag carpet for
some Of them? She was scheming
away when the matter was settled for
her. Moses was going away for a
week to visit a relative, and she would
go to the big h%uckleberry marsh and
pick and sell berries.
Providence ought to feel very tender
toward a woman with a seven-year-old
bonnet, and it surely did in this case.
Mrs.. Barton arrived at the marsh.
but hadn't picked a berry yet when
she came upon a horse begged in the
swamp. It belonged to a village mer-
chant and was a 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
4 lot Of men went to the swamp and
pulled the animal out.
OF course the owner was very CRATE
full. He knew that a 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 it ought to last seven
more"
The merchant kept a general store.
which included even millinery, and the
wife selected an eight dollar bonnet
and carried 1t over. There were thanks
and tears in return. Mrs. Barton U
hardly contain herself until her hus-
band reached home. She had the bon
net on when he entered the house.
take 1t off!' he growled after n
glance.
But it was a present to me-"
Then give it 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 bonnet-so
there!".
Mary"
II SHALL SHALL SHALL"
you will take 1t back to Mr.. Brown
and tell him you had rather have 81
in money"
II never will"
''Then I will leave the housed"
Despite the threat she refused to
obey. and he went to the house OF a
sister to pass the night. That sister
didn't have an eight dollar bonnet.
and she didn't want her sister-in-law
Growing over her, and so she naturally
braced the husband up to carry his
point.
Almost before breakfast next morn
ing It was known all over the village
that MI. and Mrs. Barton had quarrel
ed about her new bonnet and separat-
ed. The wives naturally said:
"Why, the old curmudgeon! Did you
Sver hear Of the like?"
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 aud taking things very seri-
ously.
The row was still on and hotter than