The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-07-08
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toOdy, DoluSeI.
"Yes. sir. Certainly, sir" replied the
man. I'VE shall be ready for the gen.
tleman in about 20 minutes"
Been here before, my MANI said Mr..
Wilkins to me, not unkindly.
mot l." I replied.
Then you'd better put him through
the mill, Boldger," said Mr.. Wilkins to
the foreman.
'Step this way, young man." said the
foreman to me, and l followed him into
a lavatory.
There You are" he said. You're in
luck, young man." he Went on. Half a
crown for wearing a new hat for three
hours is good pay: You'll be on at 8,
az. you'll he of at 6. This gentleman
is waiting his turn. He is one of our
regulars"
The man who was waiting his turn
was a wretch, but his neck and face had
been carefully washed, and his hair well
combed and brushed. l washed my face
and brushed my hair, and l thought that
60 wear an unventilated hat ever three
hours couldn't be so very dreadful a
punishment after all. l had reckoned
without my host.
This way, gentlemen, if you please"
said the hatter's assistant as he mo-
toned us to follow him through a door
leading toward the basement.
At the end of apassage under the shop
front was a little room with a sloping
roof. Side by side were two easy chairs,
beneath each Of which was a winch for
raising or lowering the chair to any re-
quired height. My companion took his
seat at once. He was evidently used to
the ways OF the place. Then the assist
ant strapped him in by means of two
thick leather bands with massive buc-
kles, one at the neck and the other at the
waist. Then the shopman suddenly
opened a little trapdoor 12 inches square
in the low. sloping roof of the apart
ment and worked away actively at the
winch. The chair rose, and the head of
its occupant disappeared through the
little trapdoor to the shoulders. Then
the man turned a large nut which was
affixed to the back of the chair and mo-
toned me to take my seat in the other.
why do you strap us inf" l said to
the man as l took my seat.
You'll know why, governor, by the
time you've earned that half q CROWN"
he said with a malignant grin. Now,
look here" he continued, "if you want
to sneeze or cough or anything, get it
done now, and don't you go a-larfng or
larking with the boys at the window. If
you do, it will be deducted for"
Then he began to wind me up, and l
made my first appearance in Mr.. Viii
kins' shop front to a round of tumultu-
u applause from a crowd Of idlers in
the street who stared into the shop win
dows. Then somebody carefully fitted
a hat onto my head and gave it know
ing cock. Then the mahogany arrange
ment was drawn up close to my neck,
and there | sat, perfectly comfortable,
staring at the crowd Of idlers in the
street. And then a draft of cool air be-
gan to flow through the holes that sur
rounded my neck. Mr.. Wilkins really
took a wonderful amount Of trouble to
insure our comfort.
At first the novelty of my situation en-
tirely occupied my mind. I felt inclined
to laugh as l thought of myself as a
bodiless head wearing a ventilating hat.
The boys III the street, too, made gri-
maces at me. Then Hooked at my fellow
victim out of the orner of my eye. He
was evidently already suffering from tho
effects of his unventilated hat. His
teeth were tightly set. He looked any
thing but happy. Great drops of per-
SEPARATION already stood upon his brow.
l didn't trouble myself very much about
him.
The time passed pleasantly enough and
heard the clock of Shoreditch church
at length strike 4. As it struck l was
startled to hear the wearer of the I'M
ventilated hat give a hollow groan. |
looked at him once more out of the
corner of my eye. He had become ghast-
ly pale. He looked as if he We're melting
gradually. In fact, the poor fellow seemed
very Ill indeed. Strange that a badly
ventilated hat should produce such
marked effects. Well. it wasn't nv
business.
The clock of Shoreditch church struck
4:30. heard footsteps in the room be-
low, and at the same time / was de-
prived of my ventilating hat. A brand
new hat was placed upon my head, and
the show cards which stood behind our
respective heads We're exchanged. The
drafts of cool air which came through
the innumerable little holes in the ma
hogany flooring around my neck sudden
ly ceased. A current of heated air sup
piled its place. | looked out of the
corner of my eye at the other head.