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Show . VICTORIA'S COSTLY DONNKT. H Bent to lltr t the Natives of tha BBBJ Navigator Islands. buBBBI Her majesty, Qucon Victoria, who Is flBBH tho dowdiest royal personage in-Ku- H ropo, has tn her possession tho tnoct H expcnslvo bonnet in tho world, sara BBH the Boston Qlobo. Tho natives ot the H Navigator Islands wero several years H ago anxious to make the queen a pros- "H cut. Thcro was formed a commute, HBB which debated long and patiently what BsMBB would bo most appropriate. Jewels HBBJ wcro out of the question. It would H cost a tortuno to give one of tho rich-. BBB est sovereigns in tho world a jewel that sho would nppreclato. Kvon tho most H gorgeous cloths wcro not advisable. In- din had excalled them In weaving. The H gift should be suggestive of their part BH ot the world and mado br their people. BH Hut what? that v,as tho question. BH Their women wero skilled at plaiting BH grass and making It Into everything BH from furniture, matting nnd mural dco- BB orations to gowns nnd hats, but this H would not bo valuable enough. Aside BH Vrom tho thoughtfulncss ot tho gttt It BBB must havo somo Intrinsic worth. The H rommlttco disagreed. Ono gentleman BBVB resigned In despair. The new mem- BByB btr Injected somo glngor Into the crowd B and rovlved their lagging spirits. The BBVB now membor said emphatically that B even a queen had vanity enough to BVBB want to possess tho most expensive BB bonnet In tho world. One ot tholr own H tortolso shells should bo made into a bonnet. It should be carved by tholr BBa own people nnd whllo It would not cost BH them vory dearly Victoria would find It BByfl qulto expensive If she went shopping BBVB for It In Uond street An elaborate H bonnet was made of a whole shell. Tha BH workmanship was exquisite Never BB wns tortolso bIioII mora artistically H carved. Tho ulmpo Is llko that ot tha BH salvation army lasses. In duo tlmo BBJ the queen received the gift and wrote H tho committee a noto ot thanks. Tha H queen found tho matorlal as well as tho shape a little Impracticable as far a BBVJ ovory-dny wear goes, so she sent It to BBVJ tho Drlttsh museum. Dut the commit- H tee, which feels that a load Is oft Its H mind, draws mental pictures of Queen BH Victoria driving down "the lady's H mile" and nodding to her falthtul sub- BH Jccts and wearing the gift that caused BBB so many wrinkles In tho gray matter H Us brain. BBB |