The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-05-11

take his mind away from the satirical
welcome which he knew his wife would
extend to him when mo returned with
his damaged hat. However, the Rubicon
had TO De crossed. The rain had ceased.
He rose, and, still rejecting on has
wife's reception, took hat from the
hook and was about 10 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 astonishment
protested. What ! steal hats?" he
said What do you meanT'
"You will have an opportunity TO ex-
plain this at the police station, y was
the reply, and the proprietor, who had
whistled for a policeman at the door,
turned him over 20 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 signited
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 10
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 / was simply mistaken in the
hat, :" cried Picket. IF / were stealing
a hat, / would have two here, but
haven't. This is not mine, but you will
find mine hanging on 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. "
"But 1 am an honest man, " persisted
the unfortunate Picket. Il am well
known. Let the officer go to my house
and he will see y 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 1t 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 theft
gazing at the gigantic pile of hats.
Il deny it. l deny it in toto, said
the unfortunate Picket. ''I bought these
hats. / don't wear them. but bought
them. ~
You don't wear them. What in the
world can you do with 2S hats?'
"Well, my wife has always told me t.
sell them TO an old clothes man. i neve
think Of it, am so forgetful. Why, to
day 1 even forgot my umbrella l neve
had any head F"
"You have no head? What do yor
want with 2S hats, then?"
But at this moment weeping won
an entered the police station. 1t wa
Mrs. Picket She had heard from tn
servant of the plight in which her luck
less husband was placed and came anC
told the police sergeant who he was an'
that the hats were really his. But wa
Picket grateful TO her? Hardly. III
, wished thousand times that she ha'
, not heard about his misadventure an'
, that he had succeeded in going through
all the pains and horrors of polio
, court far rather than that she SHOULD
find him there with the 28 hats-2'
mute witnesses Of her superior judgmen
staring him in the face He said to him
| self mentally. Never shall i hear tn
, last of those 2S 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. Ii
{ had it with his nightcap. He had
with his morning slippers And when
D ever the rain began falling and poo
Picket would incautiously say, "Wha
Q dreadful weather." YES, Mrs. Picke
would reply, exactly the same kind Of
D day as when you got rid of your 2
hats San Francisco Argonaut.