"I have come to tell you that you may as
well send the bonnet back, Julia," she began at once. "Flowers are much too
fine for me, my dear. I need only a plain black poke."
"Come up and try it on," was Mrs. Ambler's cheerful response. "You have no
idea how lovely it will look on you."
Miss Lydia went up and took the bonnet out of its wrapping of tissue paper.
"No, you must send it back, my love," she said in a resigned voice. "It
does not become me to dress as a married woman. It may as well go back,
Julia."
"But do look in the glass, Aunt Lydia--there, let me put it straight for
you. Why, it suits you perfectly. It makes you look at least ten years
younger."
"A plain black poke, my dear," insisted Aunt Lydia, as she carefully
swathed the flowers in the tissue paper. "And, besides, I have my old one,
which is quite good enough for me, my love. It was very sweet of you to
think of it, but it may as well go back." She pensively gazed at the mirror
for a moment, and then went to her chamber and took out her Bible to read
Saint Paul on Woman.
When she came down a few hours later, her face wore an angelic meekness. "I
have been thinking of that poor Mrs. Brown who was here last week," she
said softly, "and I remember her telling me that she had no bonnet to wear
to church. What a loss it must be to her not to attend divine service."
Mrs. Ambler quickly looked up from her needlework. "Why, Aunt Lydia, it
would be really a charity to give her your old one!" she exclaimed.
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