The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-09-18

the hook, and was ABOUT to 60, when
two walters came up to him, and
grabbed him by the collar.
Nov we've got him." said one.
''Yes," said the other, 1--WE have got
him now. This is the man who has
been stealing hats"
Picket, paralyzed with establishment,
protested. What! steal hatsw 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
turned him over to the hands of a
blue-coated guardian of the peace.
The unfortunate Picket was yanked
along the street, followed by crowd
Of passers-by, who applauded his ar
rest, and number Of street boys, who
signifled their disapproval more forci-
bly, by hurting 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. Now we've got him. There he
is. This is the thief. We caught him
in the very act"
"But I was simply mistaken in the
hat" cried Picket. eff I were stealing
hat, would have two here, but I
haven't. This is not mine, but you
will find mine hanging on the hook"
"Yes," said the restaurant man, 81
know. Ordinarily you were in the
habit of carrying a gripsack, in which
you put the other hat. This time you
came without it,"
"But am an honest man." persisted
the unfortunate Picket. 81 am well
known. Let the officer go to my house,
and he will see." He gave his name
and address, and the sergeant, waver-
ing in 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
enormous pile of hats.
Here, sergeant" said the latter,
"see what I found in the fellows
house. His wife had gone out, and it
was the servant who let me in"
WELL" said the sergeant, severely,
still deny that you are hat theft"
gazing at the gigantic pile Of hats.
II deny it. I deny 1t in toto" said
the unfortunate Picket. I bought
those hats. don't wear them, but I
bought them"
"You don't wear them? What in the
world can you do with twenty-eight
hats?"
well, you see, my wife has always
told me to sell them to an old clothes
man. never think of It; am so for
getful. Why, today, even forgot my
umbrella. l never had any head"
"You have no head? What do you
want with twenty-eight 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
luckless 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 a thousand times
that she had not heard about his mis-
adventure, and that he had succeeded
in going through all the pains and hor-
rors of police court rather than she
should find him there with the twen-
ty-eight hats-twenty-eight mute wit
nesses Of her superior judgment star
ing him in the face. He said to him
self, mentally: Never shall I hear
the last of those twenty-eight hats"
He never did. In fact, he got 1t
morning, noon and night. He had it
with his breakfast, lunch and dinner.
He had 1t with his soup. He had it
with his nightcap. He had it with his
morning slippers. And whenever the
rain began falling, and poor Picket
would incautiously say:
What dreadful weather.
"Yes," Mrs. Picket would reply, Eek
actly the same kind of a day as when
you got rid of your twenty-eight hats"