The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1895-01-02
AN ARTISTIC HAT.

By trading his derby for it my friend
Burton became the possessor of the hat
of a West Virginia lumberman, whom
he met in small all-night restaurant.
He had tried for week to get one like
it-had visited every hat store in Phila-
delphia-but without success.
Burton was an artist. He traded be-
cause the hat struck him as being an
ideal artists hat, and his heart was set
on it. 1t was large, soft, black, with a
large brim and a crown carelessly
dented in. 1t was exactly like no other
hat
The day after the trade Burton wore
his hat to one of the weekly gatherings
of the artists of his class in the studio Of
a man named Gillian. 1t was away up
under the roof in one of the cid build
ings downtown on Walnut street. He
displayed it to the dozen men present
as great find, and expected them to
grow green with envy.
Gillian saw this in an instant and
after casual glance at the hat said:
"Bah! That's nothing new. I've
seen half dozen of those hats in the
city,"
$50 have Il" said Henderson.
"Yes; I've seen few of them, too
only few tramps are wearing them,
cried Lanam.
Il don't believe it." said Burton in
dignantly.
"Well, you don't have to-" laughed
Gillian, "but it's fact"
Burton was silent for moment, and
then he said:
'1'll tell you what I'll do: I'll bet all
three of you So apiece that in days
walking over this city you can't find
one of them, in a store or on head"
'We don't want your money. It's
not right to bet on a certainty" the
second speaker said.
"Rot, you know you're wrong!"
"Why, Burton" said Gillian, "if you
are SO anxious to bet we'll all take SIS
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 So
on top of it and held two more bills
ready for the other defamers of the hat
to put up their stakes. They were hes
itating. Artists are careful about their
bills, for they come to them only at
lengthy intervals and are equivalent to
five models of much paint and canvas.
Burton was the exception. Gillian at
tracted the attention of the two and
winked at Them They knew that a
joke was afoot and put $40 into Browns
hands.
Gillian and his two companions in the
bet lived in the same town. They
walked out Chestnut street together,
when the meeting broke up.
"Do you know where to get four of
the hatsp" Gillian was asked.
NO. Didn't he tell us that he has
tried every store in the town without
being able to find even one of themP
And you know that you have never
seen another one"
81 thought you wished to let us know
that you could get them!" exclaimed
Henderson.
"Ah, my sons, don't be too inquisi-
tive. All you have to do is to walk up
and down Chestnut street with Burton
at the appointed hour, and youth see
the hats. I'll be busy with that por-
But, mind you, don't make any mis-
take. Leave his studio at exactly 4 and
don't let him come back till 5. Walk
slowly and keep your eyes open"
"But what"-asked Lanam.
There are no butts in this, my sons.
We shall drink wine this week"
At 3:55 o'clock next afternoon Burton
and the two who were to be his escorts
were sitting in Burton's studio silently
watching the hands of the clock as they
crept toward 4. The hat was on Bur
toms head.
"We might as well start now" he
suggested, rising.
The two others remembered Gillian's
parting injunctions and said no; they
must all stick to the agreement and not
go sooner nor later than the hour de-
cided on.
At 3:58 someone was heard running
up the stairs two at time. The dool
was opened and man named Altman
who did quick sketches for the Runner
came in. He had not seen the hat the
night before.
"By CAD, I'm glad 1 struck you in!'
he said, speaking very rapidly. 6.
have to draw picture of q southern
lumberman and want to borrow YOU
book of-well I'm shot, that's lumber
mans hat you have on! Lend me thai
for about fifteen minutes. will you, ole
man? And, I say, Henderson, will yor
put it onP And, with your book, Bur
ton, TlI have what they want in les
than no time"
"We were just going out" begal
Burton.
"Oh, that don't matter" said Hender
son. "rd as soon stay here till yol
come back. I can't say that I care 70
the excitsmsnt Of walking up and dow