Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-12-11
THE OLD HAT.

had haiti wa not all hat,
Part OF the brim was gone, yet st II wore
1t on, and people wondered ms passed.
S)me turned to gaz Others just cast an eye
And soon withdrew il, as 'twsre in Contempt.
cen prng, and fowery SUNNI, r-auumn brown,
And frosty winter came and went, and came,
And i'll, through all the seasons Of two years.
In par u, in city, yea, nj routs and balls
The hat was worn and borne.
Ny company was shunned-I was alone
None would assOci tie wi h such a hat
Friendship itself proved faithless for n hat
She that loved, within whose gentle breast
! treasured up my heart, looked cold MS dea h
Love- fires went out-extinyu rushed by a hat.
YEA dogs deceived by Instincts dubious ray,
Fixing their swart glare on my ra rgcd hat,
Mlstook me for bepgar, and they bar ked.
Thus women, men. friends, strangers, lover, dogs
One thou hit pervaded ALT was my hat.
Few men-comparatively tcw-appreciate
the importance of hat. Give man neatly
p-oportioned tidy hat, and it matters little what
else he has-he is prmafacia respectable; but
cover his caput with rusty greasy slouched old
ha', I'd all the rest is mere pruneIla--broadcl
AMI silk, Weirg'ons and fine linen, are Of no
avail. His responsibility, to say the least, is
quos' ionabe. But this is not the season to write
homily on fine hats, and we will merely re late
what we saw man do with an old one the other
day.
| He was small, spare man, about th.ry-five,
and decently dressed--wIth the exception of a
most ungracous looking old hat We had no.
tlced him several times in the street that MORN
ing. His countenance was haggard and care
worn, his step hurried, and his whole appearance
indicated mind diseased. Now he halted
paused-and then went on. Occasionally lift
ting his eye from the ground, he cast furtve
glance at the passer by-and we could al
most hear him mutter, chat s all old ac-
quantance, but he don't recognize me-
Just at this moment, boy on the side walk
struck up, at the top of his voice When this
old hat was now, five hundred vars ago! Our
frend-!or such we must call hlm-started
blushed, pulled down his brm, and passed on
He however spoke to no one, and indeed few
observed him at all. But, for the Ii G of us, we
could not help getting interested in him. Pres
emily he passed our office, and halted. lie cast
his eye up Colleges. aud for moment sur
veyel the gl.s;enlng dome of the UNIVERSITY
turned disconsoa,e glance at the black waves
that dashed the shore below hm--then STEPPING
to the other side of the street, and ranging his
eye along our block, as it rested on the new
section east of us, suddenly he darted in We
waited the issue. In short time he re.
appeared but altogether an ater'd man. lie
had exchanged his old hat for new "otter"-
his head was up, and his countenance was cheer.
full. The first man he met gave him IA cordial
shake by the hand, and it was EVIDENT tina,
coincidence" was measurably restored, on all
sides. Presently he called upon us to inquire
the price of advertsing--pad small bill at
Moody's, bought coats cloth at Lyman & Coles
a Boa at Hickok g. Catlin's, jewelry at Pang.
born and Brnsmaid's, nails and glass at Stronrs
opened an account at Peck's did business at the
Bank, dined at Towards, and the last we saw o.
him, he was smoking his cigar and discussing
the probabilities as to the next cabinet. Whence
he came, or whittier he WENT we know not
But of this we are certain should he ever write
the history of an Old Hat, he will declare
with the uckess wight we have quoted above
Friends once more
Greeted my dglts with the woned squeeze:
Once more went my way, along along,
} I'd pucked No wondering gaze; the hand of scorr
{ With its annoying finger, men, and dogs, less
Once grew p) niles lo eless, langhless, growl
And at last, moi least of rescued bl ssngs love,
Love smiled on me agnn, when assumed
| A bran new "otter' of the Albert mould
Ia the meanwhile we draw this inference
thai the character of a mans hat is not exactly
the true test of his responsibility; bat, that it il
$ in,vpedent to strain "public confidence" to-
harl, when fine caps are so plenty and cheap
6 N. B.--Caps, similar to the one above audc,
to, may be found at Thomas's, one door east o
us, together with an assortment Of fur gloves
n robes &C.