Year: 1866

| BROUGHT a new bonnet home to nay wife.
i Now, Il there be one thing more than an


other which my wife likes to have me bring


home to her, it is a new bonnet A new bon


net in house IS an unisiling source Of de-
! light for, at least one Sunday. After It has


been to church, and your wiie's female friends,


and, perhaps, others who are not her friends,


have admired and cast envious glanoes at il,


it ceases, to some extent to possess its pristine
charm. Still, with little management on
! the part of the Wearer, & new bonnet If it
! be very elegant one, may be made to do


good service, not only at church, bat at the
! opera, one or two concsT,s and lecture.


don't know why it is, but so far as my ex-
perience goes, think ladies take very kindly


to new bonnets; they seem to appreciate


them much more than any other portion Of


their wardrobe. Perhaps It is because it can


bs shown to greater advantage than many 9TH


er articles. In crowded assemblages the bon


net can always be seen. The furs, the shawl,


the rich dresses and the jswelry are oft-times
hidden from observation! but the bonnet ris-


es above al, and, in church, can be seen for
pews around,


It is very gratifying to the husband to


mark the smile which lights up bis wife 5
countenance when be informs her that he has
bought her a new bonnet. That smile, in my
opinion, is worth more than many new bon


nets. Il reminds me, somehow, Of my court


ship days, and wish, at such moment, that


could be always bringing home elegant new


bonnets to my wife.


know of no other article Of ladies' Rp-


parel which is so subject to changes Of fash


ion as the bonnet Every month witnesses


an alteration so that you may safely take a


new bonnet home to your wife each month,


without tearing that she already possesses one


in the least like it.


For man whoss. experience Ia the matri-


moRial arena is of an inieIicitious character,
| | can imagine no surer way Of his making It


ielicitous than by monthly gift to his wife
Of new bonnet Even though in the parl-
ance of the world, he can't afford it, yet he
should do it for the sake Of domestic peace.
Wisely hath lattsr-day Solomon said Bet
ter is a new bonnet on the head Of wife,
than shoes and stockings on the feet Of chill
dren.r


In my case, fortunately for my purse and
the comfort Of my little ones, this necessity
does not exist The new bonnet which, two
or three times year, l take home to my
wife, is not given as peace offering. I some
times think, too, that enjoy that new bon
net quite as much as she does. I expert
ence great pleasure in seeing her open the
square green box, on which the name OF
French milliner Of repute, in gilt letters on
white enameled card, appears, containing it,
and observe her look Of spproval--she re-
CARDS my taste, in the matter Of selecting a
bonnet, as unequaled-when her glance 6rst
falls upon it. Then, placing her hand care
fully under it, she lifts it es tenderly out Of
the box as if it were an infant, and gazes at
it with admiration. She takes, before speak
ing a word, front side, and back view OF
it, turning it around on her hand, and some
times have remarked, like counoisseur
before a picture. with half-closed eyes and
head resting q little on one side, reminding
me of the action of canary bird, so as to
get fairer view Of it, and to better appTeei-
ate its contour and style Then she daintily
.re-arranges bud or leaf on the outside, put
ting the bud over the leaf or the leaf under
the bud, as it may be. She gives little
twist too, to cluster Of flowers which SEEM
ed inharmoniously put together, and con-
fess, that even to my eyes, it assumes more
artistic appearance. Then she shakes up, in
light airy way, the plume, but Immediately
thereafter proceeds to smooth it down she
rules and smooths it tssYeral times indeed. be-
fore she has it to please her. Then she close
ly scrutinizes the quality Of the velvet the
texture of the ribbons and the character Of
the lace. Then, speaking for the frst time
and in somewhat OF a confidential tone, she
remarks that the lace is real thread lace,
chantilly or valeneiennes, or whatever it may
BE- By this time she is preparing to per-
form the great act of trying it on.


Getting before the mirror, where she can
obtain a fair view of herself, the dear woman
proceeds to smooth down her hair where it
lies plain on her head or elevates the eurls
trihe, if there be curls; or lift up the puffs
little, where there are puffs. Then, after as
Suring herself by repeated glances at the
mirror, that her hair is in good order, she
places, with due solemnity, the bonnet on
her head It takes about ten minutes TO set
that bonnet into the exact position which she
deems the most becoming, and to iI the
strings in a suitable manner under her chin.
Then she turned to you, with 3 most ravish-
ing smile, and, srching her eyebrows and
making her lips look half-blown rose, gives
you glance which plainly asks you to ex-
press your opinion as to the bonnet and the
Wearer.


It is always safe, on these occasions, to say
that you never saw a lovelier bonnet; one
more becoming, or-aud here you can make
a low bow-a moment when the wearer look
ed younger and :airer than she does now
But you must not seek TO kiss her, for she
would instantly frown down any such at
tempt on your part. Wait until the bonnet
il taken of and laid into the box before you
do this, and then-well, then 1t Is good |
thing to do; and the day, If you stay at home,
will be a white day in your life.


Within one week, my wife's new bonnet
attended church, a concert, a lecture, and /
the reception at the National Academy Of
Design a course of treatment most satistac-
tory to the wearer,-Home Journal


JOSH BnLrSes thinks there used to be more