Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 163, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1912 — Under Her Bonnet [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Under Her Bonnet

By Holly McMaster

(Copyright, 1912, by Associated Literary Pro—.) John Muller entered the suburban train bound cityward and took the seat nearest the rear door. His rear son for taking that particular seat was specific; he believed he saw his sister-in-law In the Beat just ahead and John’s greatest delight was teasing. His brother's wife had not seen him enter and he slipped quietly into his seat. John Muller had supposed that the feminine world kept Its new Easter bonnet carefully wrapped In tissue paper until Easter Sunday morning. Evidently his sister-in-law did not. This was most certainly the new bonnet she had brought out for hie masculine admiration not two days before. John had recognized the hat because there was nothing else visible—not even one shining black curl. But the long green tweed coat he also recognized. Jean had been sporting that since her honeymoon trip to Scotland. John eyed the little gold tassel that swayed with the jnoyement of the train close to where Jean’s ear must be. He could not see the ear under the poke bonnet Jean’s brother-in-law started with soft little jerks at the gold tassel. No response. He gave another tug, a trifle more definite. Still no response from beneath the Easter bonnet. John became annoyed at his own futile efforts and pulled the golden tassel with an imperious jerk, at the same time leaning forward and crying, “Ding ding!” He started back suddenly as the girl turned and flashed a wrathful glance at him. The face under the bonnet was not that of his sister-in-law! He caught his breath and would have apologized but the indignant young woman had arisen angrily from her seat and had taken another. Feeling very uncomfortable at his own awful mistake, yet irritated that

the young woman had not been willing to listen to his apology, John spent an uncomfortable fifteen minutes while the train pulled in at Jamaica. Taking the bull by the horns, he attempted, when the passengers got off the train, to make one more attempt to right himself in the eyes of thjaugirl. That he was suspected of being a common .flirt was not pleasant When the train stopped, Muller went out just behind the girl and, raising his hat said politely, "I beg your pardon, but ” The girl in —the Easter "bonnet turned Bwlftly and two crimson spots burned in her cheeks. “Sir, if you do not cease to annoy me I will call an officer!’* She went hurriedly into the train for the Pennsylvania station, and with many muttered words of short decided nature Muller stamped into the Flatbush avenue car. The incident turned his whole day to gloom. He was annoyed at his sister-in-law for buying a hat and cloak identically like that * of my other woman. He resolved then and there that if he ever had the privilege of writing checks for feminine apparel he would stipulate exclusive style in those garments. Muller smiled with a touch of malice. Jean’s hat was far more becoming to her than the same hat was to the wrathful girl of the train. John Muller tried to remember the color of the girl’s eyes, but nothing save the outraged expression of her face had impressed itself on his mind. Storm, havoc and thunder attempted to recall the girl’s face. If Muller's day was filled with gloom Wren Davis’s was net Her day of shopping in the Mg city had scarcely been marred by its jppleasant beginning. If the goodlooking face of her annoyer had crossed her mud during the day ahe did not let it trouble her.

Happy with her many purchases she was returning to the Long Island suburb on the evening commuters’ train. She was crowding Into the train at Jamaica when she was startled by a man’s voice in her ear and at the same time a strong arm encircled her waist under cover of the many persons boarding the train. “Caaghtwlth the goods!” the laugfaing voice chided her. Wren jerked angrily away and turned to face the second man who had thus insulted her. “How dare you?” she cried, beside herself with rage. But the man more stunned than she was, drew back, while a crimson stain flashed into the bronze of his cheeks. *1 beg your pardon,” he managed to stammer. *T thought you were my wife!” Thoroughly unstrung Wren got qulcklyfntbthetratnanasecufeda seat Übslde a comfortable motherly woman <rith a baby, and kept close beside her until the car stopped at her station. She had several blocks to go before reaching the home at which she was visiting, and during her swift walk she knew that the man who had put his arm about her was just behind. Hysterical and trembling with fear she reached the house and Jpan Muller was there to welcome her. ‘ “Wren, dear! What’s the matter!" Jean’s startled eyes scanned the girl’s Yaee; —“But before —you tell me- I have good news! George will be here to night] Isn’t that dandy! Now tell me what happened and all about the shopping!” “Oh, it’s nothing, except that every man in town insults you!" cried Wren beginning to get her dimples into place now that she was with Jean again. “This morning oh the train a man pulled my—or rather your—gold tassel and said, ‘Ding, ding* to me! ” “How perfectly abominable! And on your first visit to me. When you meet George I want you to tell him your experience and see if he can’t do something to protect women —oh —here he is now!” Jean turned to fling herßelf into the arms of the man who had come in with a suitr case in hand. Wren gasped! It was the man she had just seen on the train. Bhe tnrned from white to red and in an attempt to gain time turned to take off. her outdoor garments. “Great Scott! Jean!” the man whispered hoarsely. “I mistook her for you on the train and ” Wren turned a laughing, dimpled face to Jean Muller and her excited husband. “It is all Jean’s fault,” she exp’ained, and extended a friendly hand to Jean’s husband; “she insisted on lending me her new Easter bonnet because she said I looked too ‘hayseedy’ in my own Oldville clothes. I also had on Jean’s tweed coat.” Wren’s laugh was infectious. She liked Jean’s husband now that she had met him, and with a sudden start she realized that she liked him because he looked like —yes —like the person who had sat behind her and pulled her golden tassel. Jean stopped laughing long enough to inquire as to the appearance of her earlier admirer. Wren blushed and a whimsical light dawned in her eyes. “I only remember that he was very good looking—much like your husband ” She, bowed in mock flattery. THs eyes were laughing and brown and he had a black mustache and his cheeks were like the sunny side of an apple.” "John!” exclaimed Jean and George in one breath. Then Jean continued: "I showed George’s hrother my new Easter bonnet yesterday he has made the same mistake that George did!" Wren blushed happily, and a halfwistful smile played upon her Ups. “I wonder if he will forgive me?” “He is coming to dinner tonight, you know, Wren,” Jean reminded the girl. _ Later in , the evening, when Wren and John had abandoned the house for the cool of the hammock under the apple trees, Jean cast a triumphant glance at her husband. “Matchmaker!” he admonished, and pulled her down Into the chair beside him.

She Turned With a Wratheful Glance.