Morning journal and courier., 1884-12-20
MRS. FLAKEWHITE,s HATS.

MRS. FLAKEWHITE'S HATS. f'Now, John, you must give up this time to
 me, like 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 Flakewhite took up from the 1 table the coat in question, which had been 8 warm friend to me for I don't know how many winters, and had been turned and re- paired till, what with new Things and but | tons and different collars and bindings to the cuffs, very little of the original garment re- 1 mained, and the general result was unmis- ] takably shabby, and hung it up in the closet with a very determined air, indeed, that plainly told me her decision in the case was 1 final.
 The fact of the matter was this; very un- ' expectedly 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 unexpended the magnificent sum of twenty five dollars, the best use to make of which we were debating and deciding upon when the reader is introduced into our snug sitting
 
 agreed should go into the savings bank, while the remaining fifteen dollars-a very considerable amount to an artist with repu- tation yet to make and the best little wife in the world to support-we were free to use as we pleased.
 F'But, my dear" said I, 'fyou know you want new hat, and warm winter gloves and thick-soled shoes, so you had better get them now, and will promise to buy a new coat when sell another picture.''
 Mrs. F1akewhite quietly came over to me and, putting one arm around my neck, held my face directly in front of her own dim pied, plump cheeks and bright eyes, with firm hold of my ear in her other hand, giv- ing it frequent little pulls to be quite sure I WAS paying strict attention, said, in coax ing tone and manner, the equal of which I never did see in any other woman-never- ''John! when say please you always do what wish, so now please buy yourself new overcoat'
 Of course promised to do as she asked. couldn't have refused under the circum- stances if she had expressed the wish to have me purchase "Central Park" for a summer residence, and build rose and honeysuckle- covered cottage in the ''Ramble."
 This important matter being brought to g satisfactory conclusion and after talking about it for long time we went to bed. awoke early next morning. The hammer of our little eight-day clock in the corner had just struck five hurried blows on the twanging curl of wire inside it's gothic porch, while the gorgeous landscape painted on it's glass window front, resplendent in the earliest mellow light of a bright morning, was the first object which greeted my sleepy eyes as consciousness again broke in upon my short forgetfulness of troubles in sleep, waking me to realize that it was time to be up and doing-that every available minute of daylight must be coined upon my pal lette, every ray of sunlight, so far as lay within my power, be stamped upon my can- vas into some recognized form of legal-ten- der, the result to form the basis of 8 ''sight draft" upon the Public, that if duly E'hon- ored" when presented would furnish my lov- ing, uncomplaining, gentle, willing, ever busy, cheerful wife with various useful arti eles which she needed, and add many mod est luxury to our simple requirements and ! fancies during the long stay of winter, who ! had already heralded his coming by sending | in advance his rough night winds to moan among the tree tops, to shake, luttering | down the rustling brown leaves, reluctant even in death to quit the boughs that bore l them, and to rudely sing and frolic about, I and in our chimney tops, whirling puffs of I smoke into very faces as we sit near our 71ter'a own clown and iester-was already at his ! pranks, jogging natures arm she daintily traced her teeming and endless fancies on our | window panes, thus causing the long slant ! ing lines zig-zagging across them after cold
 night, rougeing nose as well as face of maids old and young, nipping sharply at exposed \ fingers and toes and heedlessly causing many 1 a eroan from those unshe1tered from his | merei1ess fun.
 | Thus moralizing myself awake, I quietly turned out of bed, dressed and slipped out | of the room, leaving Mrs. Flakewhite- | tired little body-soundly asleep.
 l went down into the sitting room for my I shoes, where I had changed them the night previous for slippers and while engaged in putting them on some articles of feminine attire lying on chair near at hand attracted my attention. First, noticed Mrs. Flake l whites hat of brown straw. It was neatly
 mended in various places; the pearl colored ribbon on it, though but little soiled, was creased and perforated with needle holes and pricked almost to a pattern in places where ! it had been sewn on in different shapes; there were no flowers on it, and the strings from much tying under her round chin were | Iustreless and ropy. felt my eyes moisten
 and my sight grow dim as looked at it held out at arms length, thinking how different 1t was from the trim bonnet that wished to see cover that wavy brown hair and encircle that dear face; but then I remembered with pride and pleasure that, even in spite of its | being last years style and it's other short comings, many kind admiring glance was directed at it's contents as Mrs. F. and I walked out in the afternoon when it became too dark to paint. Then there was we'll
 worn dress, partly ripped up, that my wifes nimb1e fingers had been engaged in turning and trimming so as to look neatly and fresh when household or other matters called her into the street; and lastly little pair of gaitersl What is there in the entire range
 of ladies' dress that, looked at when sepsra-
 ted from the wearer, so charms and fasci-
 mates masculine eyes as well shaped little
 boot or oaiter? Creases of use and marks of wear only add interest to the sight, and are,
 SO to speak, the finishing touches to the pie
 ture, only that in this instance the pictures CONTINUED ON FOURTH PAGE.