Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-10-19
AN ARTISTIC HAT.


urton became the possessor of the hat of
West Virginia lumbcrman, whom he
iet in "A small all night restaurant. He
ad tried for a week to get one like it
ad visited every hat store in Philadelphia
but without success.
Burton WAS an artist. He traded be-
luse the hat struck him rs being an ideal
rtst's hat, and his heart was set on it. 1t
as large, soft, black, with a large brim
nd crown Carclcssly dcptcd in. 1t was
xactly like 40 other hat.
The day after thu trade Burton wore
is hat To one Of the weekly gatherings Of
ne artists of his class in the studio Of
lan named Gillian. 1t was away up I'M
,cr the roof in one Of the old buildings
,own town on Walnut street. He display
, | it to the dozen men present as great
nd and expected them to grow grcon with
IVY.
Gillian saw this in an instant and after
d. casual glance at the hat said:
'Buhl That ; nothing new. Two seen
half a doAea cf those hats in the city
$50 have l." said Henderson.
Yes; w. seen few Of them, too
,nly IA few tramps are wearing them,
oried LactIu
II don't J,leye It, j" said Burton indig
nantly
"WelI you don't have to-" laughed
Gillian, but it's a fact"
Burton was silent for a moment, and
then he said:
I'm tell you what I'll do: I'll bet all
hrco of 5ou % apiece that in day
5all;ing over this city you can find one
t them, in ii store or on head.
1--WE don want to win your money.
Its not right to b>t on certainty the
second speaker said.
Rot, yIu know you re wrong!"
"Why, BURTON, said Gillian, If you
are So anxious 10 bet, we'll all take 50
worth of that. and tomorrow afternoon
between and o'clock We'll show you
four hats like your great and only one"
Gillian called Brown to hold the stakes,
and he deposited the necessary s. with
him. Burton put another 50 on top of it
and held two more bills ready for the 9th
cr defumcrs of the hat to put up their
stakes. They were hesitating. Artists are
careful about their So bills, for they come
to them only at lengthy intervals and are
equivalent to five models or much paint
and canvas Burton was the exception
Gillian attracted the attention of the two
and winkcd at them. They knew that a
joke was aio9t and put $40 into Browns
hands
Gilliu.i and his two companions in the
bet lived in the same Fart Of town They
walked out Chestnut street together when
tho meeting broke up
10 you know where to get four of the
hatsi' Gillian was asked.
No. Didn't he tell us that he has tried
every store in town without being able to
find even one Of them? And you know
that you have never seen another one. "
Il thought you wished to let us know
that you could get theml'' exclaimed Hen
derson
'Ah, my sons, don't be too inquisitive,
All you have to do il 10 walk up and down
Chestnut street with Burton at the APP
pointed hour, and you III see the hats. I'll
be busy with that portrait so won't be
able to 81 with you. But, mind you, don t
make any mistake. Leave his studio at
exactly and don't let him come back till
8. Walk slowly aud keep your eyes open. "
But what asked Lanam
''There are no butts in this, my sons We
shall drink wine this week. "
At five minutes to O'Clock next after
noon Burton and the two who were to be
his escorts were sitting in Burton ) studio
silently watching the hands of the clock
Burton's head.
we might as well start now" he sug
gested rising.
The two others remembered Gillian'i
parting injunctons and said no; they mus
all stick to the agreement and not e
sooner nor later than the hour decided on
At two minutes to some one was heart
running up the stairs two at a time Tn,
door was opened, and a man named AL
man, who did quick sketches for TIL,
Runner, came in. He had not seen tn,
hat the night before.
by CAD, I'm glad l struck you inn
no said, speaking very rapidly Il hav,
to draw picture of a southern lumber
man and want to borrow your book Of
well, m shot, that's lumberman's ha
you have onl Lend me that for about /
minutes, will you, old man? And, say
Henderson, will you put it on? And, will
your book, Burton, I'll have what the
want in less than no time"