APTER XXVI.

THE RIVAL BONNETS.

I HAVE a pleasant story to relate of a couple of fashionables of our
city, which will serve to diversify these "Confessions," and amuse
the reader. To the incidents, true in the main, I have taken the
liberty of adding some slight variations of my own.

A lady of some note in society, named Mrs. Claudine, received a very
beautiful bonnet from New York, a little in advance of others, and
being one of the rival leaders in the fashionable world, felt some
self-complacency at the thought of appearing abroad in the elegant
head-gear, and thereby getting the reputation of leading the
fashion.

Notwithstanding Mrs. Claudine's efforts to keep the matter a secret,
and thus be able to create a surprise when she appeared at church on
the next Sunday, the fact that she had received the bonnet leaked
out, and there was some excitement about it. Among those who heard
of the new bonnet, was a Mrs. Ballman, who had written to a friend
to get for her the very article obtained first by Mrs. Claudine.
From some cause or other a delay had occurred, and to her chagrin
she learned that a rival had the new fashion, and would get the
_eclat_ that she so much coveted. The disappointment, to one whose
pleasures in life are so circumscribed as those of a real
fashionable lady, was severe indeed. She did not sleep more than a
few hours on the night after she received the mortifying
intelligence.

The year before, Mrs. Claudine had led the fashion in some article
of dress, and to see her carry off the palm in bonnets on this
occasion, when she had striven so hard to be in advance, was more
than Mrs. Bellman could endure. The result of a night's thinking on
the subject was a determination to pursue a very extraordinary
course, the nature of which will be seen. By telegraph Mrs. Bellman
communicated with her friend in New York, desiring her to send on by
the evening of the next day, which was Saturday, the bonnet she had
ordered, if four prices had to be paid as an inducement to get the
milliner to use extra exertions in getting it up. In due time,
notice came back that the bonnet would be sent on by express on
Saturday, much to the joy of Mrs. Ballman, who from the interest she
felt in carrying out her intentions, had entirely recovered from the
painful disappointment at first experienced.

Saturday brought the bonnet, and a beautiful one it was. A few
natural sighs were expended over the elegant affair, a