The Lambertville press., 1861-10-02
Tales and Skettteg.
THE BLUE HAT.

IMhilF oo ~" -
the street last autumn, in a brown
study on some obtruse subject, his
vision horizontal and vacant, his step
rapid and careless, when just as he had
forded one of the cross streets, and If
ted one foot to place it upon the curb
stone, a big, but cowardlv yellow dog
came sweeping along, followed by .
black o.ie of the same species The
specimen ohIivious of all things but
pursuit, as every dog should be on
such an occasion, and possibly under
the control Of his own momentum,
struck Kelly's perpendicular leg while
the other was walking, and knocked
it ont from under him. My friend
went down instanter. His glossy
beaver bounced upon the pavement
and continued its journey, while his
shawl struck against shopman's win
dow like q paper pallet on the wall.
Kelly gathered himself together,
picking himself mp, and looking after
the dog who had done the mischief,
expecting to find him move to- in ca.
nine dismay at the accident he had
caused, but to his utter astonishment
the animal seemed as regardless of his
equilibrium as of any 'other trivial
matter, and was making after the
aforesaid yellow dog at as great a
speed as though he had not tripped
over thr best fellow in town.
While my friend was down, clear,
musical girlish laugh had rung upon
the open air. 1t was evidently spon-
taneous, so charmingly musical, was
so suddenly checked and had withal
so good a cause that Kelly conld hard
ly be angry or disconnected.
When the gentleman had recovered
from his surprise at the heedlessness
of the quadruped, he hethonght him
self of the music There were half a
dozen ladies in view but by a trig-
onometrical calculation he reached the
conclusion that the laugh must have
come from either a dainty little blue
hat, with delicate trimmings, or de:
cided, sober and ancient brown one
the two being in conjunction. Of
course he fastened upon the blue hat,
for never sine the food did grave,
questionable bonnet give out snch
gushing MI sic as that.
Kelly was not city gentleman-
not he. He w9s squire in rural
town-a leader of town affsirs.
A man of rank, to whom the vii
lage politicians looked for the shrewd-
est counsel; on whom abused people
called for advice anG redress /; into
whose hands, friendless widows put
the management of their Scanty es.
tates, sure that all would be done for
them and their little ones that tact,
fidelity and warm heart codld ac-
complish.
The blue hat was city hat, and
the brown hair it covered, together
with the hazel eyes that sparkled in
front of it, were of city growth. But
the sober brown bonnet was on o ru-
raj aunt of good dimensions, both in
person and in heart
Before the catastrophe which was
the means of bringing out laughter,
the aunt was listening to the lady's
eager request, that she would try and
procure hera school near her country
home After the accident, the brown
bonnet gave very appropriate and
impressive lecture on the impropriety
of laughing out in that way, when the
street was fall Of folks.
Why who could help it, Aunty !?
Did you ever see any thing so funny !?
Laugh! | didn't langh-it laughed
ITSELF Indeed, to escape another
lecture, she had to cover her lips,
nose ann eyes almost, in scented linen
cambric.
why, you see, Aunty,' said the
blue hat, recurring to the former top
ic, father isn't rich-indeed, / don't
think he as we'll off as he seems to
be !; and the family is large-alI are
girls too, just bill Of expense, you
know; and | don't like to have father
furnish me with music lessons any lon
ger, for | know he can't afford it. But
| wouldn't give up my music for the
world only | want to pay part Of
the expense myself Father isn't able