St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1891-10-17

f'Go to my cnly gransldaughter's we'd
ding in . borrowed hat and 9randpo
waxed Indignant ~
''Well," said the young man. ''this =
growing into . matter Of momentous
importance 70 sne. and move that that
hat be found"
Il second the motion" said Aunt
Anatel. springing mp from her low
seat 1t her mothers elbow. "When
did you wear the hat last. father?'
Il wore it to freeman's meetin', and
| when got home Abigail remarked,
with that vexatious laugh of hers. that
the town hall had been honored with
one more visit from the old bellcrown,
and took the hat OF and looked at Il
and said that when I bought it Of
Lieut. Nevers he said It would last me
for my best hat rs long IS lived He
made it himself A hatmaker by trade
the old lieutenant was. and that hat
was made upon honor more than
twenty years ago; and because he said
it would last me Is long Is I lived, I
| mean that it shall, for always main
tanned that he was . man Of his word
for all that he was took up for
perjury. went hail for him and
testified in his behalf and I bought mp
the piece of land that the trouble WAS
about. end paid for it. and there It
lies, with the timber growing on il, to
this day, because never dared cut it. not
having . clear title. The lieutenant
was my friend and I've testified t. my
faith In him mp to this day, by wear
inn that hot ~. e~~0 IN
crowned, 1 explained TO Abigail. bell
crowns went into style and out, ont of
style and in. but my bell crown went
on. year after year, doing its duty on
Sundays-and 1t funerals and we'd
din's and so ON rs regular rs the hell
in the church steeple. Then took
out my Handkerchief, and snuff
scented with rose I had bought for
mother at Doke's store, and my
wallet, and I'll be bound that's the
last ever have seen of that hat Alb
could tell where it went to. II she
pleased.
II couldn't" sniveled the maiden
daughter. II went into the back pam
try while he was landing old Movers up
to the skies and stayed there . spell,
~AAu NAlCA 4 SAARpCU OuG 0kSA WC0S OVSA
to the other house, for fear l should
say something impertinent about that
old rascal Nevers, and l have never
seen the old hat from that time until
this, although its loss has been laid to
my charge every day since"
perhaps mother hid it to put . stop
to the contention between mem Nab"
Nonsense. fatherr' said the placid |
old lady. threading her needle anew,
and deity sewing . loop ON the holder |
she was making for Katie. ''YOu knew |
very well never NEEDLE between you |
and Nabby."
Lets find it." cried the expectant |
groom. 1T must be on the premises.
OF course it is not in the parlor?"
Il should think not" asserted Abb |
gail The minister's set in there |
every time he's called. and I'm in there |
every day. You might Is well ask il it |
is in the meal chest or pork barrel"
"we'n 60 up garnet first" said Aunt |
Anabel. taking . lighted candle. and
the two young people followed her mp
the narrow stairs. They hunted be- |
hind the-ioom. moved the spinning |
wheel and the little" wheel. the foot |
wheel and the reel. They opened the |
brass warming pan and the foot stove, |
rs well as a score or more of ancient |
chests and drawers, and other possible |
and impo ssible receptacles.
When they emerged into the kitchen |
with their garments festooned with |
cobwebs, grandpa said: ''Glad Of iti |
Abigail thinks she is awful neat She |
takes charge of tAe house now. The |
garnet was Is slick and Glean rs the |
parlor in mothers day."
Next they went TO the barn and the
shop. the Toulouse and the sheep
shed II haven't been over the prem
ises 10 thoroughly since was child"
said Aunt Anabel
They looked in the well and then
went down the open bulkhead into the
cellar and peered into the ash-hole. |
looked on top Of the cider barrels, in
the apple and vegetable bins and the
butter closet
There's one place we haven't
looked" whispered Kate. 4 length,
under the front stairs. I've no doubt
she knows where that hat is-she
never could bear old Mr.. Movers, I've
heard mother say, because grandpa
made himself unpopular in town BE-
friending him, and presume size was
50 vexed that day that she put the old
hat ont of sight don't know how we
ore going to manage to get into that
closet"
1--WE can 60 up the back stairs" whis.
persa Aunt Anabel, Is ready ~ . girl
for the frolic, ''and squeeze through
the narrow passage between the old ell
part and the new upright part Of the
house. 60 down the front stairs and in
to the closet without Nsbby mistrust-
ing thing"
Away they went on tiptoe, and -
they were making their way through
the narrow closet. George. who was
six feet tall, exclaimed:
Hold ON . minute. I've hit my
head against something crowded mp be-
tween the rafters and the partition.
It feels like . high hat-and it IL .
hat!'
'tOh, take il down please"
s'Oh. this can't be the one?"
''That il Lieut.. Never's old hat. said
Aunt Anabel I've seen him with Il
on . thousand times when I was =
child feel Is il had seen = ghost
"How came Il here?" asked George.
81 do not know" said Kate, ''but
grandpe told me once - secret that
his cid friend the day before his death
WHISPERED TO him that he had discov-