The Republican journal., 1870-10-27
THE SHABBY HAT.

"Now, John, YOU must give up this time
to me. like q dear boy, and get yourself .
nice thick overcoat | don't mean you shall
ever wear that one again; it is really too
bad'-and so saying Mrs. Flakewhtc took
up from the table the coat in question, which
had been n warm friend to me, for I don't
know how many winters, and had been
turned and repaired, till what with new lin
in@s and buttons. different collars and bind
ings to the cuffs, very little of the original
garment remained, and the general result
was Enthusiastically shahby-and hung it up in
| the closet with very determined air indeed,
that plainly told me her decision in the case
was final.
The fact Of the matter was this: Very un-
cXpectedly and opportunely, I had sold one
of my pictures at a fair price, and having
paid in full the arrears of some household
accounts, there still remained in our hands
uneNpended the magnificent sum of twenty
| five dollars, the best use to make of which
we were arguing and deciding upon. when
the reader is introduced into our snug little
sittingroom. Ten dollars Of the amount we
both agreed should 90 into the savings bank,
| while the remaining fifteen dollars very
large to an artist with areputation yet make.
and the best little wife in the world to sup
port-"c We're free to use as we pleased
But, my dear said |, ''you know you
want 4 new hat and warm winter gloves, and
! good thlck-sOled shoes; so YOU get them now,
and will promise to buy q coat when | sell
another picture"
Mrs. Flakewhite quietly came over to me,
and putting one arm around my neck, held
my face directly in front of her own dimpled
plump checks and bright eyes, with firm
hold of my ear in her right hand, Civ
! ing it a pull at each word to be quite sure
was giving attention. and said, in a coaXino
! tone and manner, the like Of which | never
did see in any other woman-neye yer-''. John
| when ! say please. YOU always do what
Wlsh--noW please buy Yourself a new coat -
OF course I promised to do as she asked
| could not have refused under the circum-
stances if she had expressed Il wish to have
mo },,l., I,isr ''tCntral ltlh lur a summer
| residence; and build q rose and honcvsuckle-
covered cottage in the Ramblc." This i'm
portant matter being brought to q satisfacto-
ry conclusion, and having been talking about
| ii for a long time, we went to bed
| awoIlc carly next morning; the ham
mer Of our little cight-day clock in the
corner had Just struck five hurried blows on
The twangng piece Of curlcd Wire inside its
| gothic porch, while the gorgeous landscape
painted on its glass window front, resplend-
rnt in the earliest mellow light of summer
sum- was the first object which greeted my
| sleepy eyes, Us consciousness again broke il
upon my short forgctfuncss of trouble in
sleep. waking me to realize that it was time
to be up and doing-that every available in
slant of daylight must be coined upon my
pallet-cvcry ray of sunlight. so far rs lay
within my power, be stamped upon my can
vas in some recognized form Of legal tender
the sum total to form the basis 'of a 'sigh
draft upon the public. that, if duly 'honor
cd' when presented, would furnish my low
inc, accomplishing, gentle, hard-tpiling
cheerful wife with such articles Of mel fessity
as she required, and add many a littld luXu
~ to our simple needs and tancies, sluline
the long stay Of winter. who had already
hcraldod its coming by sending on his rougl
! night winds to moan among the tree tops
to shake. tlutterinG down, the rustlin@ brown
leaves that seemed reluctant even in death
to quit the boughs that bore them. and tC
rulelv sing and frolic about our chimney
tops, impudcntly blowing down putls o
smoke into our very face, rs we sat,near ou
little wood fire, during the first chilly even
ings Of October, while Jack Frost''-win
tcr's clown and iester-was already at hi
pranks jogging natures arm as she daintil,
painted our window panes, thus causing th
long, slantn% lines we see zig-Zagglng acros
them 4 cold night, rougcing nose rs well a
face OF old maid and young, nipping sharpl,
at exposed fingers and toes, heedcssly caus
ing many q groan from those unshelteret
from his mercless fun. [That'll do for on
sentence -
Thus moraizing myself awake | quietly
, turned out Of bed, dressed and slipped out o
the room. leaving Mrs. Flakewhite-
tired, Httle bod, son"lly ol~vpi"a
| went down into the sittingr room for m,
! uI,nnc 1vboro 7 bal 1b,,,oo1 I,a ;ob
previous tor my slippers and while engaged
in putting thcm ON, some articles Of femal
. attire on = chair near by attracted my at
, tention. First, there lay on top Mrs. Flake
whites hat of brown straw; it was neatl1
mended in dozen places; the pcarl-colorct
ribbon on it, though but little soiled, wa
creased and perforated with fine holes, ant
prckcd almost TO . pattern, in places wher
ii had been sewed on in different shapes
there were no flowers in it, and the strings
from much tying under her round chin
r lustreless and ropy. | felt my eyes moistc
5 and my sight grow dim, as | looked at it
held it out at arms length, and thought hov
different it was from the trim bonnet wish
ed to see cover that wavv brown hair, an,
shade that dear face; but then Iremembere
| with pride and pleasure, that even in spite G
! its being last years style and its other short
comings, many q kind, admiring glance wa
directed ut its contents as Mrs. Flakewht
and | walked out in the afternoon, when
became too dark to paint Then there wa
u well-worn dress half ripped up, that m
, wife's nimblc fingers were doubtless engage
in turning and trimming so Us to look re
specially nice when household matters too
her into the street; and lastly, pair of littl
gaitcrs' What is there in the whole rang
of a lady's dress, that, looked at when sepa
| rated from the wearer, so charm and fas
cnatcs masculine eyes as q well-shaped littl
, boot or gaiter? Creases Of use and marks Q
wear only add interest to the sight, and are
! picture, only that in this instance, the pictur
belonging to Mrs Flakewhite had been ''tin
ishcd' too much.
| replaced these several articles on tn
chair as | found them, and turning with
siml into my studio soon fnr@nt my trnuhl