Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-10-16
On APPROVAL.

sh"t 'oh "iphS NbS Siit vi tht lNbil
You couldn't insult anything SO
dainty with the name of "shop"-
and gazed upon its owner with an
exclamation more profune than ap.
prupriate.
1t must st once I've confessed that
she was charming object to gaze
at. There was an expression of
wicked amusement in her large
gray eyes, and the black gown she
still wore in mourning for her hus
band-poor Jack Henderson, who
was killed in Soudan-set off tn,
lines of her slender young figure,
aud threw her golden hair and fair
skin prsttily into relief.
"Pull yourself together, my dear
boy" she continued, opening the
door of an old carved oak cabinet,
land / will show you something
that even your crude male intellect
will appreciate. If you don't say
it's lovely I'll never let you inside
the shop again. You may fatteu
your nose against the window, or
stroll dlsconsolatcly up and down
the street III vain! No more chats,
no more teas in the back room ~
So saying, she lifted gingerly from
the shelf large hat, aud, plantinl
it upon her pretty head, turned tri.
umphantly toward me. 1t was
lovely-quite lovely-a sort of ar
rangement in amethyst velvet and
feathers to match. Being only a
miserable aud ignorant male, OF
course ! can't describe it, but it was
uncommonly becoming, and made
Nina look like Gainsborungh
picture. | told her so, and gushed d
over it sufficiently to satisfy her.
"It's my own Idea, shape and all,
and there isn't another like it in
the world. l may possibly copy il;
but I'm not sure. 1t depends upon
who buys it. How ! wish you wert
woman, Ronald she sighed re
gretfully, land l would make Ncl
buy it for Ascot tomorrow"
l wish were, my dear. But why
don't you go and wear it YOURSELF
Gracious! and leave the shop 10
whole day at this early stage Of 1T
existence? You uuardsmen have NJ
more idea of business than a baby
No, can't go; but / hope you'll
have lucky day and a good time
and, Ronald, dear, if you were nic'
you'd just look in one day soon auc
tell me what sort ofa day you had
Oh, and be sure you don't forget t,
nstice what hats and bOnnets peopl
wore"
| promised to do my best, anC
took my leave reluctantly as IA large
and portly matron, gorgeousiy ar
rayed. and whose features unmis
takably betrayed her Semitic origin
sailed in and demanded a small
"fiower-bonnet."
That woman in a fiOwer-bonnet
/ hope, poor soul, that Nina saved
her from herself,
"What are you going to do thi,
afternoon, Ronald?" asked my
mother three days later. ~ wlsi
you to come and call with me on
the Vanderdeckeus
"Can't my dear mother. Prom
ised to go and see Nina"
Visions of Miss Nanderdeken, rich
As Cresus, but, oh, so deadly dull
FASTENED my movements, and / was
halfway to Oxford street before my
- lther could call me back. found
Nine. Destrier, as my cousin calls
herself, just parting with a Gus.
toner. The hat was in her hand.
i've sold it y she cried gleefully
"just sold it to that nice girl for five
guineas."
lawfully glad, I'm sure. But,
my dear girl, I've shock in store
for you. saw the very model and
marrow of that hat at Ascot the
day before yesterday"
"Iou couldn't, you couldn't
Who was wearing it?" she cried
sharply.
"One Of our reigning professional
beau;ies-Lady Loddington."
Lady LOddington ~ gasped
Nina, catching hold of the chair be-
hind her. "Ronald, are you sure
aren't you making any mistake?"
~ swear Pm not. She had on a
frock the color of the hat, and she
looked simply ripping. / paid her
all the compliments j could think
Of in the five minutes / was talking
to her."
"Ihe cheat, the sWindle OF IL +"
cried my cousin, white with anger.
"My dear girl, calm yourself Pm
sorry foT you, but great minds, a.
you know, will jump, and some
other clever woman has had The
same idea as you"
Nina was past taking any notice
Of the insulting suggestion. She
seemed thoroughly upset by the
coincidence, and looked as if she
were going to cry.
"Why did / ever go into the busi;
ness ?" she cried miserably. "Its
simply awful to get behind the
scenes like this and find out how
mean wOmen-w ll-bred women,
who ought to know better-can be.