The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-02-25
1.-THE cheat, the swinale of i'll" cr;os
cousin Mhita 1rith annar

-
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, are mine
But | don't think theyshould be vast
ed on the mere fact that some other
woman has made a hat like yours"
"She HASN'T" cried Nina. indignant.
ly. But Lady Loddington was wear
ing this very hat. Listen. I'll tell you
the whole story. The same afternoon
you called a lady came in beautifully
dressed and asked to see some hats. l
saw who she was, though I've never
met her. l don't want to meet her."
savagely; Zone sees quite enough Of
her in all the shop windows"
One Does" l remarked, soto voce.
She wanted a hat the color of this
one, so | brought it out and showed it
to her and told her the price and ex-
planned why it was so expensive. oh,
l don't mind giving that for the hat
she said; it is well worth it. / am
quite i'll love with it, Nine. Destrier,
but dare not buy it without letting
my husband see it. He is so very par
ticular about what l wear. Could |
have 1t sent round tonight fer him to
0 at? | would let you know some
time tomorrow whether l would take
1T or not OF course | said | should be
glad to send it. and she gave me the
address. and the hat went round there
That evening. Last night she sent it
hn..k and ca,l It, -.
Lord Loddington didn't think it suited
her. thought it looked a little tum-
bled. but one has to run those risks
when n sends goods on approval.
She had determined to have that hat
just to wear for the one day, and she
was too mean to get it honestly"
"Of course you'll have it out with
her-youll expose ber?' Isaid.
was as angry and disguised as Nina.
who stood opposite me, with her pretty
eyes and cheeks flaming with honest
indignation.
My dear boy, would if I dared. but
l can't afford to. 1t would drive hall
my customers away from me, and l
must think of Hugo and Giles. They
don't cost much while they are TIMES,
but want to give them every advan-
tage, the darlings, and l was left SO
badly off, and the business is just be-
ginning to pay SO well. dare not ru1
the risk OF exposing Lady Loddington's
meanness."
II had forgotten your children. No,
it wonld not do. Trust me to give
her a mauvais quart d'heure, if / get
the chance"
Promise you'll be careful. Think of
the little boys"
Il won't injure the dear chaps, you
best of mothers"
We'll, in that case, l only hope for
tune may favor you"
Fortune did favor me at last, but she
kept me waiting till the autumn, like
the tickle Jade she always is. MY
chance came in this wise: My uncle
asked me up to his place in Scotland
for shooting, and | went. The old gen
tleman is a very connolsseur of beauty,
and every pretty woman of tote is
bound to be asked up to D. sooner
or later. got there in time to dress
hurriedly and appear in the drawing
H 60 "g uhSiC wac IClliuS
everyone whom he was to take in. |
was introduced to some girl have
not a notion who she was, but | gave
her my arm and took her down to din
ner, murmuring ~commonplaces on the
way. The truth is, l was half fam
lshed with my journey, and my one
idea was dinner. 1t was not until |
was well on with the fish stage that
looked at my left-hand neighbor. It
was Lady Loddington herself.
Il haven't seen you since we met at
Ascot" She remarked, pleasantly.
She certainly is a most lovely wom-
an, by tbs way. l stared blankly, and
She went on with an air of we'll acted
approach:
Il believe you have forgotten we
ever met there"
Here was my chance: l seized it.
"Forgotten! Why, / remember every |
word You said, the color Of your gown
and even the very hat you wore-the |
loTeliest and most becoming hat l ever |
saw in my life"
The compliment told.
Il don't believe you do" she pouted. |
Upon my word l do. 1t was a sort
OF big affair Of amethyst velvet, and
feathers to match. remember it with
double force because l made a cousin |
OF mine quite angry with the mere de.
scription of it. don't know if you
ever met her? She has gone into
millinery, like everybody else. She
calls herself Mime. Destrier.'"
looked Lady Loddlngton full in the
face and laid a peculiar emphasis on
the name. 1 never saw anyone 50
thoroughly caught in my life. 1 saw
IN a moment hat she knew 1 know
She turned perfectly scarlet to the