St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-07
A LONDON LOVE STORY.
HELEN's HAT.
BY J. NJ. BARRIE.
Copyright, 1894. by the authorl

HELEN'S HAT.
Helen and 1 had a bet Of a hat the
other day. and she won.
To pay for d lady's hat, however, is,
after all. small matter. The diff
Guilty is to go into a shop in cold blood
and buy one. That was what L had TO
do, according to the conditions OF the
Der. and l was allowed TO take no one
with me.
Helen said that if I could not pick
out q hat that would suit her it was
plain that I did not really love her: and
she cOldly stared when asked permits
sion 10 take another man with me. not
to help TO purchase, but 10 stand by
while 1 said steTnly to the saleswOman,
Il want a lady's hat"
There is d Hlilliner's shop next my
tobacconisrs and 1 thought I could
slip into il as if by mistake. Just as I
was about 10 do so. however, the to
bacconist came TO his door, and so I
had TO buy a box instead.
Several days passed. and I had all
bur bought the hat many times. 1t was
strange and interesting to me to re-
fleet at, say. ) o'clock that if l had en-
tered the shop at 4:50, the whole thing
would be over now.
once 1 did 90 into j niIliner's shop on
Regent street. but I left it without hav-
ing bought the hat. This was because
my courage failed me; and instead of
asking for a hat I requested the boy
who opened the door to direct me TO
PiccadiIly circus.
II he had been a boy OF average
SmarUuesS he would have read between
the lines and insisted on my taking 4
chair. 7 hurried into a side street after
this escape, and presently came TO.
The place to buy ladies' hats. war
rauted dear. is Bond street: but in no
uh0roUghfare in London are there so
many inquisitive people.
Bond street can never expect to do d
great trade so long as the jewelers.
and Hsh sellers. ard even the sandwich
board men. stare impertinentIy at way
Iarers.
was simply driven from i miiliner's
door by a fish-selIer. VINO kept looking
after me as II he thought 1 was afraid
to face him.
Then there is a dressmaker's win
dow. in which woman in black stood
all day looking for me. l soon dis
covered that she knew [ was honestly
DESTROYS OF buying a Iady's hat. but
she would not let me. It was impossi-
bic TO 90 into a hat shop with that
woman ready TO triumph over me.
A grocer hoy. too. passed me twice
within ten minutes. lingering about in
a most imDeTUinentiy suspicious man
uer W hich so inCensed me that 10l-
lowed him 10 his shop, and complained
to his master
There vas a curious look in the lat
Jer's eye. and / could not help feeling
that he knew mat 1 wanted TO buy
lady $ hat.
With another person. dressed like a
gentleman [ had quite a scene. l was
just going into the shop TO buy the hat
when he looked dXeGly at me. This
confused ne. and turned me from my
purpose. but half an hour afterwards
was back at the shop door.
AEail he passed me. with a look that
told me plainly that I was discovered.
I lost my temper. and, gripping my UNI
brella by The middle. demanded TO know
what. he meant.
BE replied with affected urprise, but
I saw through him, and said that l
would stand there until a policeman
came 10 my aid.
He answered that as he wished to
consult nv convenience entirely he
would not go away. So he but his back
to one window and 1 put mine 10 an
other. and there we stood. glaring at
each other. until 4 o clock, when q mist
came on. in which 1 walked softly
away.
When [ was a mile from the shop /
paw that the mist was my opportunity
for buying the hat. and l at once
hailed a hanson. got out at the top
OF New Bond street. however. as il
had struck me that there was look Of
enlightenment on the cahby's face. To
blind him. I walked little way down
oxford street. and then turned back.
soon [ was at the shop l now knew so
We'll from the outside. and. though my
throat felt dry. [ determined to buy
that hat. [ waited until two ladies had
left II had seen them through the win
dow. ana then entered, with my teeth
set.
II want a lady's hat L said. and L
had q face on me that showed 1 was
resolved 10 stand no laughing.
The milliner had a twinkle IN her eye,
but my derceness put it Out.Oud 1 saw
her hand shake as she brought out
some hats.
7 bought the dearest one. gave the ad-
dress to which il was TO be sent and
then retreated. keeping my eyes on hers
10 the asst moment. That woman was
afraid of me-nearly as much as was
o. her.
Helen says il viii Go.