The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1893-07-15
Al vENT1LATING HAT.

IIuu NtIhlIe lG uonehllys' lidl EOiu SUD
reH Of hew3rkbouse, and they made my
feah creep. It wasn't pride that made
mo work. it wasn't an honest spirit OF
indepepdence It was the worlihouse
dreaded and the peculiarly unattractivt
fage provided for the pauPer. And there
was with IS pence, my days earnings,
between me and the casual ward. With.
ia "a hours that18pence would assuredly
disappear, and unless got work Of some
sort 90 the casual ward / should hive tc
70. and a gentleman In a position sim.
cilar to my own were talking mattors
overn.is,a -ia iAi. .. naH.n .
$3.50 Things is very slack. governor,1 said
9f'There is one game you might try
continued my acquaintance with be
nignant smile, "ahd that's Wilkins, the
yehtilhting halter. But you can't keer
onewith that long You know. ltsruin
TO the constitution.
Anything was better TO my mind thnn
tile casual ward, so ] asked for Willins
address. ........
.sQh, you can't miss it," was the an.
ewer; 'you just walk down Shoreditch.
There's always a crowd outside wilkins
shop, and al you've got to do is to ask.
boldlike, for Wilkins, and when You sees
him yop. just ups and says, I'd like to be
in the. way Of earning a honest ali
! crowp, sir Then he'll put you in the
seway at wunst' Then my friend nodded
ana departed. ,,il 81. % ..I.l ... ...
~. I arrived at Bhoreditch. l wasn't long
M finding Wilkins-thero was crowd
s. inifr0nt OF the window In the wfadow
were hrndreds Of hats Every one OF
them hid a ticket betting the Same leg
tnd, .fWiliiihs' Nentilatmg Hat" then
followed the price. gradually elbowed
my way TO the front row, and then
perceived the nature Of the exhibition
that gave 50 much pleasure to the in
habitants Of Shoreditch. .t.. 4..s i.
,b In the center Of the array of hats We're
two human heads, which protruded
through two artfully constructed holes
in thepohsbed mahogany which formed
the flooring of the shop front. Each
head was covered by what appeared tc
be an ordinary tall hat. The head on
the right had large window ticket be.
hind it, .on which were the following
words: oH r
"Willxins' ventilating hat. Perfect
comfort No suffering from heat by
want Of ventilation The wearer Of this
article enjoys life The head is human
There is no deception. The only estab
lishment in Which wilkins ventilating
hat may be obtained. 1t comes as boor
and blessing to men, like the Pick
wick, the.0wl and the Waverley pen. -
There was a similar ticket behind tic
head on the'lefti .rf .
"The ordinary. silk hat. Observe how
the unfortunate wearer suffers from tn.
heat. Poor fellowl He evidently wishei
himself dead. The common unventilatei
hat of commerce is a fepdish invention
worthy of the atrocities of the wors
days of the Spanish inquisition. Tht
wearer Of an unYentilated hat Is hurry
ing TO an early grave. The head Is hu
mani there Is no deception"
~ I noticed that the mahogany planldnl
Of the shop front below the heads wa
perforated with innumerables small holes
Then observed that there was yer,
great difference in the appearance Of tn
faces Of those wearing the hats. Tn
= gentleman wearing wilkins ventilatinl
hat Looked the picture Of contentment
He smiled. He seemed as if he had at
tained the summit Of human bliss. II
was evidently very comfortable indeed
The other head presented striking con
trast. Never ill now had / the leaH
idea that such dreadful effects were pro
duced by the wearing of an unventilate
hat. The face was as pale as death. !
.scolds sperspiration seemed to trickle frol
every pore. The mouth was set a
though in agony, and all through an VI
Ventilated hat. | boldly determined I
enter the shop.
a''siA AsWhat can Show you, sr?" said a
assistant, with excessive urbanity.
u want tosee Mr.. Wilkins" IreplieC
THAT is Mr.. wilkins, said the mar
indicating portly aud benevolent lool
ing gentleman IN black silk waistcoat
~ ssWhat can / do for you, my mani
~ said Mr. watkins.
s fId like to be In the way of earnin
an honest. half crown, sir" replied.
'Very good, any man, said Mr.. Wi
kins with smile "ls there vacanc
4 today, Boldgerf'
+ ''Yes, sir, Certainly, SIR" replied Ii
man I'VE shall be ready for the ger
tleman in about 20 minutes" .l ..ft
"Been here before, my mani" said MI
Wilkinsit0 me, not unbindly.
..NotI, p / replied
''Then you'd better put him throug
the mill, Boldger," said Mr.. Wilkins
the foreman.
''Step this way, young man." said th
foreman to me, and followed him int
a lavatory.
''There you are" he said. "Yon're /
luck, young man" he went on. "Half
crown for wearing "a new hat for thrJ
i'-As.lrs is good pay. Yog'll be on at
and you'll be OF at @. This gentlena
is waiting his turn He is one of on
regulars"
The man who was waiting his tur
was a wretch, but his neck and face ha
been carefully washed, and his hair We
comhed and brushed. washed my fac
and brushed my hair. and Thought thl
10 wear an unventilatcd hat even thrg
hours couldn't be so very dreadful
punishment after all. I had reckone
without my host
Tins way, gentlemen il You please
aaid the hatters assistant as be mD
toned us 10 follow hin through q do,
leading toward the basement.
AT the end Of pa. sage under the She
Trent was little room with slopn
roof, Side by side wore two easy chair
beneath each of which was n winch (,
raising OF lowering tue chair 10 any r
qniIed height My companion took h
seat al once EIe was eyideatly used
the ways Of tie place. Then the assis
ant strapped hin in by means OF tv
taick loather bands with m8ssive bu
kles, one al the neck and the other at Il
waist. Then the shopinan sudden
opened a little 3tupdoor l2 inches suua
in the low, sloping roof Of the apaI
ment and worked away actively at Il
winch. Tho chair rose, and the head
its occupant disappMfsd thrBugh Il
little trapdoor 10 ne shoulders. L ThD
the man turned a hrge nut which w
afiiS ~ th6bQek ol the chan aad ln
". iliie y 'tllo nv seat in the other
'|7ilyslQyoa strap as inso 1 said
~ l1alI ls ktddk niy seat.
"Youn knbw Aghy, goyernor. ~ d
hme you've Rmed that BALI a dfdNI
hsAi1hN ul,4 tlhhspsnt grin. mo,
lookhfre,' he7guntnued, "if you wa
"a sdeke cor eough 81 anything, get
1one now, and dnnt yoUgo ulatfing
h TIlH ~ boys at the window.
you do, u VII be deducted for"-
lhon no began uo wind me up, and
Iaado nay hui Appearance In Mr. w
kinf shop front to a round OF tumuli
oua applhuae from crowd of idlers
u .