Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-05-26

take his mind away from the satirical
welcome which he knew his wife would
extend to him when he returned with
his damaged hat However, the Rubicon
had to be crossed. The rain had ceased.
He rose, and, still rejecting ON his
wife's reception, took a hat from the
hook and was about to go when two
walters came up to him and grabbed him
by the collar.
"Now we've got him." said one.
yes said the other; ''we've got
him now. This is the fellow who has
been stealing hats
Picket, paralyzed with establishment,
protested. ''What! l steal hats?" he
said "What do you mean?'
"You will have an opportunity to ex-
plain this at the police station" was
the reply, and the proprietor, who had
whistled for a policeman at the door,
turned him over to the hands Of a blue
coated guardian of the peace. The UNI
fortunate Picket was yanked along the
street, followed by a crowd of passers-
by, who applauded his arrest, and
number Of street boys, who signified
their disapproval more forcibly by hurl-
ing mud at him. When the party
reached the police station, the proprietor
of the restaurant made his complaint to
the sergeant there.
"That's the man, said he. ''For the
last two weeks some scoundrel has been
coming to my restaurant, and whenever
he goes out somebody misses hat. We
have been watching for him. Now
we've got him. There he is. This is tho
thief We caught him in the very act. "
"But was simply mistaken in the
hat" cried Picket. IF 1 We're stealing
q hat, would have two here, but
haven't This is not mine, but you will
find mine hanging OH the hook "
Eyes" said the restaurant man, Il
know. Ordinarily you were in the
habit Of carrying a gripsack in which
you put the other hat. This time you
came without it. F."
but l am an honest man,, persisted
the unfortunate Picket. 81 am we'll
known. Let the officer go to my house
and he will see" He gave his name
and his address, and the sergeant, way
ering i'll the face of his protestations,
sent an officer to accompany him to the
address given. In about half an hour
the officer returned, bearing an enor-
nous pile Of hats.
'Here sergeant" said the latter,
"see what found in the fellows house.
His wife had gone out, and it was the
servant who let me i'll. ;"
"Well," said the sergeant severely,
looking at the accused person, "do you
still deny that you are a hat thief?''
gazing at the gigantic pile of hats
II deny it. I deny it in TOTO" said
the unfortunate Picket. II bought these
hats. don't wear them, but I bought
them"
"You don't wear them. What in the
world can you do with 20 hats?'
"Well, my wife has always told me to
sell them to an old clothes man. never
think of it, am SO forgetful. Why, to-
day even forgot my umbrella. never
had any head.
"You have no head? What do you
want with 20 hats, then?'
But at this moment weeping wom-
an entered the police station. 1t was
Mrs. Picket. She had heard from the
servant of the plight in which her luck
less husband was placed and came and
told the police sergeant who he was and
that the hats were really his But was
Picket grateful to her? Hardly. He
wished thousand times that she had
not heard about his misadventure ant
that he had succeeded in going through
all the pains and horrors of a police
court far rather than that she should
find him there with the 2S hats-2s
mute witnesses Of her superior judgment
staring him in the face. He said to him
self mentally, "Neyer shall I hear the
last of those % hats" He never did. II
fact, he got it morning, noon and night
He had it with breakfast, lunch ant
dinner He had it with his soup. HI
had it with his nightcap. He had il
with his morning slippers. And when
ever the rain began falling and poo
Picket would incautiously say, "Wha
dreadful weather." ''Yes," Mrs. Picke
would reply, exactly the same kind of {
day as when you got rid of your q
hats. San Francisco Argonaut.