The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-01-30
A VALUABLE HAT.
How Old Solomon Worked the Seere-
 tary of State.

tary ot State.
 "Come in Solomon" said the secretary of state as an old negro appeared in ;he doorway.
 "Thankee sab, thankee," replied the old man as he entered the room and dropped his hat on the floor.
 "Well, what can do for you?"
 "Not much ter day, blebes. Thought I'd come up an ax yer CT few pints an ter sec whether yer had any wuck fer CT homes man ter do."
 The secretary of state threw a lighted cigar stub at spitteon, but the stub missed the spittoon and fell into old Solomon's hat.
 "Yas," the negro continued, thought dat I'd come up an see ef dar wuz any sort uv interestin' skussion gwine oa. Yer doan fetch yer dinner doun wid yer does yer Mars LiasP" "No."
 "l didn' know, but lowed dat ef yer did I'd ax yer far CT snack. Look heah, whuts dat CT burnio'2 Bless de Lawd, dat blame segayah hab dun burnt CT hole in my hat. It's dun ruint, Mars Lias," he ruefully said as he took up the hat.
 It's de only one I'se got, too"
 Inn sorry, old man."
 "Yer ain haf ez sorry ez is, let me tell yer. Doan know whut gwine ter do. Look heah," he added as he showed his thumb through the hole in his hat, it's dun ruint. It am fur CT fact" shsv- ing three fingers through the hole. "Yas sah, dun burnt bodatiously up," show ing his hand through. "Say, aim yer got CT hat yer ken gin me?"
 "No, believe not"
 "De debil yer aint 1 Burn CT mans hat up an den not pay him fur it. Oh, yer neenter laugh"
 "I was not laughing at your misfortune, but at the skilliul way in which you made the hole larger" "I didn' do it."
 "Yes, you did"
 "WAll, ef did it wuz just ter Illustrate how mer hat wuz dun ruint. Yer has ter pruoe ev'thing desc day fore CT pusson Il blebe yer. Gwine ter gin me CT hat ter pay fur de one yer's dun stroyed3"
 only have one hat, Solomon"
 "Dat mout be but aint got nairun." "What is your hat worth ."
 "'Tain't wuth nothin' at de present."
 "How much was it worth ?"
 "Dis heah hat2"
 "Yes, that there hat"
 "Wall, femme 6gger CT little in mer mine. Five is CT five an fo' is CT fo' Ought CT ought wid nothin' ter carry an CT three is CT three. Dis hat wuz wuth seben dollars an thirsy-a' cents"
 What?"
 "Dat's whut said"
 "Why you can get hat like it for two dollars"
 "Not like dis hat, Mars Lias. Yer mout git CT hat like some uder hats fur two dollars, but not like dis one. De reason dis hat cos SO much zults rum dis heah fack: 1t wuz made outen de wool O CT sheep dat wuz skeered in de dark O de moon, when de sun wuz CT 6xin' ter go inter de 'cLpse."
 "Why does that make the hat more valuable ?"
 "Well, sah, CT hat made outen dat sorter wool keeps de head free rum zcze. Wy, sah, fore got dat hat wuz so deaf dat coul'n'. heah It thunder. Arer 1 wore de hat CT while dar wuz CT monssrous 'prubement. Tell yer whut's CT fack, wuz CT set,in' in de house one day shortly arter gunter war dat hat, an all O CT sudden. says ter my wife: Who's dat started a saw mill in dis heah neighborhood Oar ain't nobody started one,' says she.' 'WhutF says l, doan yer heah one CT hummin'r 'No,' says she. Wall, CT little while afterwards l wuz down in de lot am foua' CT grass hopper sittin' on de fence CT singin' an , had misstuck it fur CT saw mill.
 "Old man, I'll give you two dollars"
 Make it three"
 "No, I'll give you two dollars. I really ought not to give you anything, for your hat was not injured materially until you made the whole larger" "Wall, gin me de two dollars. fur