Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-11-10
A HAT-MARK ROMANCE.

A HAT-MARK ROMANCE.
Philip Northam, coming hastily out
of the Exchange building one morning
in January, slipped on some ice at the
TOP of the marble steps and slid rapidly
10 the bottom. On his way, however,
he encountered a gentleman who was
lelsurely descending before him, whip
ped him brlskly from his feet and
brought him down by his side to the
nayement below. This unexpected in
troduction was accompanied by a
prompt removal of their respective hats.
Phillips rolled down to the curbstone,
and the strangers whirled along the
pavement to be stopped and returned
by an Opportune boot-black. Fortuna
tely no bodily damage was done TO
either of the embarrassed young men,
who instantly picked themselves up,
with mutually unnecessary apologies.
Philip, perhaps, had some raison d'etre
as be had been the aggressive party,
but the same haste TO catch a train
that had occasioned -the rendering of
an apology made it naturally very
bref. He barely took time to assure
himself that his fellow voyager TO the
sidewalk was not hurt, then clapped
bis hat on his head and rushed onward
with the same speed that defeated it.
self few seconds previous.
We state that Philip clapped his hat
on his head, but the truth is, he clap
ped on hat in every way resembling
it, yet unlike it as hat that we have
never worn Is unlike the hat of our
everyday wear. Philip had not gone a
block when he realized that he had
made a mistake, and exchanged hats
with the stranger, whom he had other
wise incommoded by hurting him down
stairs. 1t would seem that destiny had
been gTatutously unkind through Phil
ip's unmeant agency to this inolfensive
wayfarer, and for no apparent reason
but her own wilful fancy. However.
it would probably be useless to return
TO their rencontre, even if Philip had
had time. So he contented himself
with examining the hat as he sped up
BY the elevated to his train at Forty
second street, and was glad to find in
il hat mark, the initials w. W. c.,
neatly embroidered on a band of dark
garnet silk and ornamented with sprays
Of floss silk vine. No one had ever
embroidered hat mark for Philip, and
the rightful owner of the misappropria-
led head covering became at once in
vested with a sort of romance in Philips
mind. The bat of itself was anything
but romantic, being enc OF those hard,
stiff derbys, that seem to have been in
vented for no other purpose than to
c0unteract any possible good looks on
the part of the owner. ''W. w. c.. "
Philip pondered not a little over these
cabalstic signs of feminine care and
interest: lie examined them so closely,
indeed, that, after the manner of ardent
explorers, he made an unlocked for dis
cOvery. Under the little silken band
was tucked firmly a slip of folded paper
Thinking perhaps it might contain per-
hsps the full complement of the initials.
Philip opened and read it. A great
fush passed over his face, and his heart
quickened with sympathy. On the
paper were written these words, In a
delicate feminine hand:
WILL: If you care to preserve this
little souvenir you will some time know
that l love you; too late, perhaps, for
happiness, but not too late for Truth.
God grant that you may safely cross
the ocean and cross back again to NE.
That was all. Philips ardent soul
thrilled with tenderness as he reyer-
emily replaced the little scrap OF paper
in its hiding place and continued TO
look down at it like Ole IN a dream.
How could he put 1t On again with this
sad secret hoverlng above his brainr 1t
seemed sacrilege that he, a stranger,
Should be crowned even temporarily
with this burden of an honor into
which he was not born" OF course
necessity compelled him to wear 1t un-
til be could procure one of his own,
but the pathos Of those few yearning
words gave him no peace. Even when
he had ceased to be conscious OF their
actual proximity to his curly dark locks
and was again his own man, at least to
the extent Of a new derby, he was not
nd of their haunting spell. The ad-
yertlSements he paid for In behalf OF
Nv. W. C." would have purchased
hall dozen hats, but they brought him
no sign nor token from the missing
owner, and as time wore on the strange
hat with its pathetic secret lay hidden
In box in Philips wardrobe and be-
came thing of the past.
Meanwhile Fate, spinning her web OF
many tissues, spun for Philip, among
other things, hat mark of his own.
II was very, very pretty, and very,
very precious, and Philip felt like
KING who is for the first time crowned
with his royal inheritance when ne
Knew that he knew that he was ad-
Judged worthy to wear the favor OF
slender lily fingers whose hghtest
Touch had thrilled him like concen-
uation of electric batteries. Fate's
name on this occasion, was Myra Brown
She was fair and hght-haired. with
pretty gray.eyes and soft lndepen.
oence Of mind and manner. Philip had
lallen in love with her at first sight,
out she had grown by slow degrees
tfom Indifference to interest, from IN
erest to friendship, from friendship 10
well, the next step is scarcely per
ceptible, but her progress eventually
resulted in glorious attainment ioi
Fnlllp. He could scarcely trust MIN
Eel TO the contemplation of his own
oisS when he realized that the happl
ness of this strong yet delicate and I'M
iassioned soul was given into his Keep
ing.
Il bring you the first real love OF my
heart, she said. looking him through