The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-04-08
HELEN'S HAT.

Helen and had bet of hat the other
day, and she won. At that time thought
from looking at them that the price of la
dies hats could not run to more than
shillings, but this is a complete mistake.
The cost of ladies' hats varies according
to what is not on them-thas is to say,
half sovereign extra is charged for tax
ing out the feather and guinea extra for
taking out what a man would call hat
and leaving only one bow and ribbon. As
almost nothing Is the fashion now, hats
are unusually dear this season.
To pay for a lady's hat, however, is,
after all, small matter. The difficulty
is to go into shop in cold blood and buy
one. That is what I had to do according
to the conditions of the bet, and was al
lowed to take no one with me. Helen said
that if I could not pick out a hat that
would suit her it was plain that I did not
really love her. and she coldly stared
when asked permission to take another
man with me, not to help to purchase,
but to stand by while said sternly to the
salesman, II want iadY's hat.
There is a milliner's store next to my
tobacconist's, and thought could slip
into it as if by mistake. Just as was
about to do SO, however, the tobaeconist
came to his door, and SO had to buy a
box of cabonas instead. was very angry
with the man and have given him up ever
since then.
Ny original intention had been to go
into milliner's shop and bride them to
tell me which was their best hat for a
pretty girl with brown hair, dancing eyes,
90 inches around the waist, but Ravens
croft, who pretended to know about hats
though it is quite clear that he thinks
the bigger they are the dearer-said that
would not be safe. His advice was that
should do a round of milliners' windows
on wet days, SO that my umbrella might
hide me. Woodhouse, however, who has
two sisters and hearkens to them, said
this would be foolish, as they only exhib-
tied a variety OF hats in the second rate
shops He urged me to walk boldly into
a shop and insist on their giving me a
hat. Another friend, Hooper, said: 1.-The
hat itself is of but little consequence The
great point is that it should be dear. She
viii forgive you for buying an unbeeom-
ing hat, but never for buying a cheap one"
Then Trotter, who thinks himself clever
said, Chow can you buy her hat when
you don't know her size?" This phiIoso-
pher is 80 years old and has not discovered
yet that ladies' hats are worked with
pins.
Several days passed and I had all but
bought the hat many times. It was
strange and interesting to me to reflect, at
say . U GlOCk, OUdb IL L ndQ 6uUST6u U00 SnOp
at 4:3O the whole thing would be over
now. Once did go into a miIliner's shop
in Regent street, but left it without haV-
ing bought the hat. This was because my
courage failed me, and instead of asking
for hat / requested the boy who opened
the door to direct me to Piccadilly circus.
If he had been boy of average smartness,
he would have read between the lines and
insisted on my taking a chair. hurried
Il. tot
emily came to.
The place to buy ladies' hats warranted
dear, is Bond street. but in no thorough
fare in London are there SO many inquisi
tive people Bond street can never expect
to do a great trade SO long as the jewellers
and fish Sellers and even the sandwich
board men, stare impertinently at wayfa
ers. was simply driven from a milliner's
door by fish seller, who kept looking aft
er me as if he thought was afraid to face
him. Then there is dressmaker's win
dow, in which woman in black stood all
day looking for me. I soon discovered that
she knew l was honestly DESTROYS of buying
lady's hat, but she would not let me. 1t
was impossible to go into hat shop with
that woman ready to triumph over me. A
grocer's boy, too, passed me twice within
ten minutes, lingering about in a most
impertinently suspicious manner, which
so incensed me that l followed him to his
shop and complained to his master. There
was a curious look in the iatter'S eye, and
1 could not help feeling that he knew
wanted to buy a lady's hat. With another
! person, dressed like a gentleman, I had
| quite scene l was just going into shop
to buy the hat when he looked fxedly at
! me. This confused me and turned me
from my purpose, but half an hour after
| ward l was back at the shop door. Again
he passed, with look that told me plain
| " that I was discovered lost my tenn
| per, and gripping my umbrella demanded
| to know what he meant. He replied with
affected surprise, but I saw through him,
| and said that would stand there until
| policeman came to my aid. He answered
| that as be wished to consult my conven-
fence entirely he would not go away. So
| he put his back to one window and put
| mine to another, and there we stood glar-
ing at each other until O'Clock, when a
mist came on, in which I walked softly
away.
When I was mile from the shop, saw
| that the mist was my opportunity for buy
| ing the hat, and at once hailed a hanson.
| got out at the top of New Bond street,
| however, as it struck me that there was a
| look of enlightenment in the cabby's face.
To blind him I walked little way down
Oxford street and then turned back. Soon
I Twas at the shop now knew SO well from
| the outside and though my throat felt
| dry determined to buy that hat. l wait
| ed until two ladies had left had seen
| them through the window--and then en-
tered, with my teeth set. / want a la
dy's hat, said, and I had face on me
/ that showed was resolved to stand no
| laughing. The milliner had twinkle in
her eye, but my fierceness put it out, and
| I saw her hand shake as she brought some
hats I bought the dearest one gave the