The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-03-24
BENJIE'S OLD HAT,

ht S6uI me W ScI MT. .COleS Dill, Jue
boss did, and he said to hurry up. Well.
did. Iran all the way there, ard Mr..
Coles he paid it, and it was forty dol
lars, and | took and tucked it into my
hat-band inside. in the sweat" as my
uncle, that's the halter, calls it. for
money has been snatched from fellers,
and fellers' pockets haze been picked,
you know.
Nobody wanted my old hat, and
felt as safe as bank with the money
that was in it.
And so going home, when / saw Jim
and Bill Riggs playing marbles, I
stopped to speak to EN-.
Come and plav,'' saws they.
Can't" says !. DOM narrand. :"
''Oh, pshaw.' says they, Just one
game"
Well thought 1 had time enough,
and gave in, and at it we went-and |
go into anything when do 90 into it,
do-and | was playing, | can tell you
for all was worth, when all of sudden
Bill says:
''Benjie, where your hatv'
My hat!
Igave howl and put my hand to my
head. 1t was bare.
"Lh, fellers,' y says |, don't tease
me! Give it back. It's got suthing in
to it." But jim and Bill both swore
they hadn't got it, and nobody had
passed by but two old ladies and big
gentleman, a regular swell, they said.
| hadn't seen 'em, but they couldn't
want a boys old hat. Jim and Bill
turned their pockets out, and let me
feel their backs. They hadn't got it.
And l looked high and l looked low,
and felt as if was going cray, for l
couldn't find it. | didn't know what
would he done to me; but / thought
may be Ii be sent to prison. And |
thought, considering what my old
granny would say to me, and how she d
feel if she was to see me in striped
suit with a chain on my leg, L d better
go hang myself. only that was wicked
and no knowing where I'd go to. If l
was TO run away it would be about as
bad for granny. And if l was to offer
to pay it up out # my wages, only
got two dollars week, and two times
twenty is forty, and twenty weeks is
most six months; and a Teller has to
have shoes, and give one to granny
for my board, and how she'd get me
any without it-for washing don't bring
in fortune--I didn't know.
'tOh, fellers! fellers." says I. "Oh,
fellers! I'm Just done for! It's all over
with me. I've failed. [ wish some
body would kill me, for there was money
in that hat that belongs to the boss, and
it's stole and gone forever"
That's rough, Beniie," says Bill.
"Oh, that is rough on you"
a. You hadn't orter stopped to play
with u.s." says Jim.
No" says !, II hadn't orter. What
would you do?"
I'd own up" says Bill.
'Id run away" says Jim. Il think
somebody must have knowed about the
money, and followed you up. And |
think it was the swell old gent. Pick
pockets look stylish enough some
times.'| 49,. ...
Whoever got it. I'll never have it
again." says |. "Good-by, fellers.
May be you'll never see me no more. ~
And Off Invent. b ...
| WASH sure Jim hadn't got it, but ]
knew about Bill. Bill was square.
| went office-ways at first. Then |
turned back and went towards gran
ny's. | felt like I'd die and / wished
| would. /. thought if / did, granny
could tell 'em afterward. So up went,
and there she stood at a table, starching,
poor old soul
"Why, Benjic.'' says she. "what
brings you home so early, and where s
your hatP"
Well, when she asked that | broke
down. | hadn't cried since was a lit
tie teller. but 1 beloved then.
"Oh, granny" says /, g some one
stole my hat when l was playin' mig
giles! Oh, granny grannyr'
""Twasn't much fur hat" SAWS
she.
you don't know how much it was.
granny" says l. s..
Your on Y one" says she. Poor
boy! III lend you my night-cap to-
morrow"
Don't laugh" says 1. at may be
my death, granny"
Have you caught cold, BeniieP'
says she, "or were you ashamed of a
bare head3 See, lad; don't fret. It's
all Joke. Your Uncle Frank did it.
Your uncle, the halter. He'd brought
you a new hat from the shop and see
ing you playing in the street, lust blind
and deaf to everyth ng, he slipped Oft
with your old one to tease you. There s
the bright new hat on the shelf in a
paper, lined with silk and the picture
of a cherub inside, on bit of a gold
parer, a looking out of window with
his brother"
Uncle Frank took my hat, and it, $