Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-06-24

take his mind away from the satlrical
welcome which he knew his wife would
extend to him when he returned with
his damaged hat. However, the Rublcon
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.
Eyes" said the other; we've got
him now. This is the fellow who has
been stealing hats.
Picket, paralyzed with establishment,
protested. WHAT | 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 policeman at the door,
turned him over to the hands of blue
coated guardian of the peace The I'M
fortunate Picket was yanked along the
street. followed by crowd of passers-
by, who applauded his arrest, and
number Of street boys, who slgnlfied
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 tic
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 the
thief We caught him in the very act. "
"But l was simply mistaken in the
hat, +" cried Picket ''If were stealing
hat, would have two here, but l
haven't. This is not mine, but you will
find mine hanging on the hook. :"
Eyes" said the restaurant man, 81
know. Ordinarily you were i'll 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. II am well
known. Let the officer go to my house
and he will see" He gave his name
and his address, and the sergeant, way
ering 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 enor-
nous pile of hats.
Here sergeant" said the latter,
"see what | found in the fellow s house.
His wife had gone out, and it was the
servant who let me in. "
"Well, said the sergeant severely,
looking at the accused person, "do you
still deny that you are hat thief?'
gazing at the gigantic pile of hats.
81 deny it. l deny it in toto" said
the unfortunate Picket. 81 bought these
hats don't wear them, but l bought
them.
"You don't wear them. What in the
world can you do with % hats?"
"Well, my wife has always told me to
sell them to an old clothes man. / never
think of it, 1 am SO forgetful. Why, to-
day even forgot my umbrella 1 never
had any head
"You have no head? What do You
want with 20 hats, them"
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 nnsadventure and
that he had succeeded i'll going through
all the pains and horrors of u police
court far rather than that she should
find him there with the 2S hats-28
mute witnesses of her superior Judgment
staring him in the face. He said to him
self mentally. 'Never shall l hear the
last of those 30 hats " He never did. In
fact, he got it morning, noon and night
He had it with breakfast, lunch and
dinner. He had it with his soup. He
had it with his nightcap. He had it
with his morning slippers. And when
ever the rain began falling and poor
Picket would incautiously say, what
dreadful weather." Yes" Mrs. Picket
would reply, exactly the same kind of a
day as when you got rid of your 20
hats. San Francisco Argonaut.
England and Her Friends.