One of the young members of the class, and perhaps the youngest, for she had but recently come West as the bride of a distinguished citizen whose name has already been mentioned, had become the owner of a new bonnet.  The lady herself had never, though fashionably raised, shown a fondness for gaudy apparel, but, being obliged to send to Detroit for all millinery accommodations, she sometimes felt constrained to wear articles that were not selected in harmony with her tastes.  The new bonnet fell somewhat into this category.  If I were gifted in that line, I would attempt a description of the new comer, but, as I am not, I will simply say it was made in the height of the then fashion, with a small crown and a very high, flaring front, with ornaments atop.  On the Sabbath following its arrival, the good sister put on her bonnet as innocently as in childhood she had ever said “Our Father” at her mother’s knee, and went to Church.  She walked modestly to her seat, bowed her head as usual, and the services proceeded.  She certainly felt devout, and she had not the remotest idea that there was anything in the Church that could disturb the devotion of others.  But alas! for poor human nature.  A horrible nightmare was that moment lurking under the wings of the beautiful dream of our innocent sister.  In that highly respectable congregation, there were evil eyes that could not look at the Minister or close in prayer.  They were fixed upon the gaudy bonnet.

At the close of the services comment was rife.  Some of the good plain people christened the newly arrived, “The Methodist Flower-Pot,” while others looked exceedingly unhappy.  But there was one resolute brother who could not permit matters to go on in this way, and hence the case was brought before the Church.  The zealous brother stated the case and declared that if Mr. Wesley’s rule in regard to “high heads and enormous bonnets” meant anything, this was “the time to put it to the test and prove its efficacy.”  He further stated that it was “better to begin at the top round of the ladder and work down, rather than take up some offending sister from a lower round as an example.”  Of course all things were now ready for a decapitation, but judge of the surprise of the brother, when the good sister showed herself not to be very “high-headed,” though big-bonneted, by offering the offensive article to her accuser, to manipulate into orthodox form, if he were pleased to do so, otherwise it would have to remain, like Mordecai at the King’s gate, steadfast and immovable.

The bonnet was not manipulated, and the good sister continued to wear what neither her accuser nor any other person in Green Bay could put into another form.