Household. A MAN'S CHOICE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1598, 30 September 1882, Page 2

Household. A MAN'S CHOICE.

THE MISTAKE IN BUYING A BONNET. " Now, whoever saw an old-gold rose!" she cried, appealing to the mirror, " or black asters, or brown lilies of the valley, or pea-green chrysanthemums ? It's just like a man ! Not the least idea of taste 1 And they'll put anything on to him. Probably some old things they had left over from last year, and then stuck them together on a child's hat and told Jack it was the latest style ! And lie believed them, the ninny ! It's just like him I Well, ho may wear it, if he wants to ; I sha 'n't !" . Jack arrived at this juncture, his face beaming like a bran-new, tin pan in noonday sunshine, Seeing the millinery in the hands of his helpmate, he exclaimed gleefully -. " So you've got it, Mary ! A little surprise, you know, It's a stunner, ain't it ?" " I should say it was, Mr. Jack." It was the tone of these words rather than their intrinsic intelligence that caused Jack's face to elongate suddenly. " Why, what's" the matter, Mary ?" he exclaimed in alarm. " Matter, Mr. Jack 1" returned Mary, holding the bpnnet out at arm's length, as if it had been a recent occupant of the, small-pox £os,pital. . HMatter, Mr. Jack !"/she repeated '•» i> should think you'd ask I Jjast fobk at.ii !" -i- " Why," siidiTack, beginnjngjtp JoseJcon'fi,dence in his ideas on taste, >" isn't it pretty ?". . f Pretty l' r screectied'Mrs. J:Z< '?' I>{J%^ '[ , ,;. With that Bhe^etr'the^^milMery^fall^frbm

What was he to do. under- these distressing circumstances? Do? What would any husband do in the presence of tears ? " OH, well, Mai'y," he said, coaxingly/' if it doesn't suit you, of course you can change it. I ought to havo known that a man isn't fitted* 'to pick out a bonnet. There, dear, don't cry aiiy more; but put on your things ' and go right-down, to Plushington's and pick', one out yourself. Now don't cry, dear.^'Tye. go£ to go to the office : but you'll go to Plushington's right away, won't you dear?" Mrs. Jack's tears gradually dried, though a great sob every now and then showed the terrible anguish which still rent her bosom. She deigned no answer to her lord's entreaties, excepting something or other about that " horrid thing," and was about to break out again into fresh weeping, when Jack begged her again to go to the milliner's right off, kissed her hastily, and discreetly left her along with her grief. When the door was safely shut behind him — the truth'must be told — foe dM say something that rhymed with lamb,- but it is certain that "lamb" was not the word he used. It was wonderful how quickly Mrs. Jack recovered from her sorrow. Hardly had the street door closed ere she was herself again. There was now a look of triumph on her face. Hastily putting on her street garments, she shoved the despised bonnet into the band-box, and a minute later was on her way to Plushington's. It is needless* to follow her thither. If you are a woman, you know how a woman disports herself in a millinery bhop; if a man, the less you know about such places the better for your peace of mind. The next day was Sunday, Easter Sunday, and as Mrs. Jack walked down the broad aisle in her new bonnet — the bonnet of her own choice — she was supremely happy. And Jack was happy, too, to see his spouse in so heavenly a frame of mind. " Well, I yum !" Thus said Mrs. Jack, as she took her seat ; for right in front of her in the Bangupton pew, there sat Mi s. Bangupton —the recognized leader in the fashionable world — with a bonnet the very counterpart of that " horrid thing which Jack had sent home as a surprise to Mrs. J. This is what Mrs. J. " vummed" about. Thope were the identical neutral strings; the nondescript roses, chrysanthemums, lilies and asters, were all there ; the^ " mean, scrimpy, night-cappy thing " was before her in every particular. It is safe to say that Mrs. Jack got little edification from the service that morning. Mrs. Bangupton's bonnet was mixed up with the hymns ; it was everywhere throughout the creed, collects, prayeis; the morning lessons were entirely devoted to millinery ; the sermon, from text to finish, was Bangupton and bonnet ; and the benediction was made up of the same übiquitous elements. On her way home Mrs. Jack was not so cheerful as when she started thence. On the contrary, she was taciturn, sad, not to say morose. Jack saw that something was wrong, but, being a discreet husband, and having yesterday's episode fresh in his remembrance, he said nothing. It was, no doubt, the wiser course. Upon reaching home, Mrs. Jack flew up the stairs, but not until she was in the solitude of her oo n chamber did her sorrow find words. Clutching convulsively at the strings of her new bonnet, she pulled it off and then sank into a chair and burst into tears. " I don't care, there 1" This was her only exclamation. She continued to weep and sob for five minutes, perhaps. Then suddenly she dried her eyes, took up her bonnet, scanned it all over, and., with a look of satisfaction rather than of joy, exclaimed : " Well, I picked it out myself, at any rate 1 None of his buying 1 I'd a died rather than have him buy my bonnets !" And no doubt she would. — Boston Transcript.