The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-24
On APPROVAL.
Why Lady Loddington Is Civil to a
Common Man.

'What on earth dye call that thing?"
I asked. poking with my stick at a
bunch of grapes poised airily upon IL
brass stand.
THAT thing" replied my cousin,
proudly, lis the very latest Partisan
fashion in bonnets"
sanls back into the little lounge
that ran along the side of the room
You couldn't insult anything so dainty
with the name of "shop"-and gazed
upon It's owner with an exclamation
more profanc than appropriate
1t must ut once be confessed that she
was Il 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 .lusband-poor Jack
Henderson, who was killed in the
Soudan-sct off the lines of her slender
young figure and throw her COLDER
hair and fair Skin prcttily into relief.
Pull yourself together, my dear
boy" she continued, opening the door.
OF an old carved oak cabinet, "aud
Will show YOU something that even
your cru lc male Intellect will apprc-
ciatc. i you don't say it's lovely I'll
never let You inside the shop again
You may Aat;cn your nose against the
window or stroll disconsolatcly up and
down the street in vain. No more
chats. no more teas In the back room,
Ronaldr
50 saying, she lifted gingcrly from
the Shelf IL large hat, and. placing it
upon her pretty head, turned triumph
antly toward me.
Ii WAS lovcly--quitc lovcly-a sort of
arrangement in amethyst velvet and
feathers to match. Being only a mis-
cradle and ignorant male, of course
can't describe it; but it was uncom-
monty becoming and made Nina look
like Gainsborough picture. told
her SO and gushcd over it sufficiently
to satisfy her.
"Its ny own idea, shape and all, and
there isn't another like it IN the world
l may possibly copy it, but I'm not
sure. 1t depends upon who buys it,
How l wish you were u woman, Ro-
nald!" she sighed, regrctfully. 81 would
make YOU buy it for Ascot to morrow"
Il wish were, my dear. But why
don't you 90 and wear it yoursclf?"
Gracious! and leave the shop for n
whole day at this early stage Of its ex-
lstcnce! 1ou guardsmcn have no more
idea of business than a baby. No,
can't go; but | hope you'll have lucky
day and good time, and Ronald, dear,
if you were nice you'd just look in one
day soon and tell me what sort of dav
You had. Oh, and be sure you don
forget to notice what hats and bonnets
people wear"
l promised to do my best and took
my leave reluctantly US large and
! portlY matron, gorgcously arraycd,
and whose features Enthusiastically be-
traycd her Semitic origin, sailed in and
| demanded n small Flower bonnet"
| That woman in a flower bonnet. l
hope, poor soul, that Nina saved her
from herself.
what are you going too do this after
noon, Ronald?" asked my mother three
days later. Il wish YOU to come and
call with me on the Vanderdecltcns. :"
Cant, my dear mother Promised
to GO and see Nina"
| Visions of Miss Nandcrdccllcn, rich
as Crmsus, but oh, SO deadly dull! has
tened my movements, and | was half
way to Oxford street before my mother
could call me back. l found Nine.
| Dcstricr AS my cousin calls herself,
| just parting with a customer The
hat was III her hand.
Eve sold it, she cried, glccfullv;
| Just sold it 20 that nice girl for five
guincas.'
awful glad. I'm sure. But, my
dear girl I've Il shock in store for you.
| saw the very model and marrow of
that hat ut Ascot the day before yes
tcrday."
You couldn't, you couldn't! Who
was wearing it?" she cried, sharply.
cone of our rcigning professional
beauties Loddington!"
Lady Loddington!" gasped Nina,
catching hold of the chair behind her.
Ronald, are you sure you aren't maxi
ing any mistaken"
81 swear I'm not. She had on q trocl1
the color Of the hat. and she looked
simply ripping. paid her all the COM
plimcnts | could think of in the live.
minutes was talking to her"
The cheat, the swintllc of IT," cried
my cousin, white with anger.
My dear girl. calm yourself! I'm
sorry for you. but great minds, as YOU
know, will jump, and some other clever
wo man has had the same idea as you.
Your sentiments, madam, arc mine
But | don't think thcyshoald be vast
ed on the mere fact that some other
woman has made Il hat like yours"
she HASN'T" cried Nina, indignant
iy. but Lady Loddington was wear
ing this very hat Listen, I'll tell you
the whole story The same afternoon