Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-07-09

going East on the train Mrs. Gordon used
To know mother in New York. she knows
the kind Of things she'd like SO that the
reason ! came. to get Mrs Gordon to go
with me to the hatter's to get mother hat.
There isn't time to send to st. Paul. you
see Won't you come with me can I
very well 20 alone. and don't want to have
mother 20 East like Mrs Butler Of the 10th.
She went of without a bit of trimming on
her hat. but then she mad six children to
get ready and only about a weeks notice.
| That's the way with officers wives, you
| know-they get way out here at one of
these lonesome posts and they don't much
care how they get TO looking, but all of
| sudden there are orders from headquarters,
and we have to get ready double quick
DO you think you could 20 with me
replied that l was only too glad to Toe of
service and five minutes later | started of
with Custer Jones in quest of hat 1t was
Saturday afternoon, and the one business
street of Forkington was crowded with the
/ wagons of the farmers who were transact
ing business in the cheap frame and more
| pretentious brick shops and offices Custer
viewed the hustle with interest and delight.
1T, great To- live IN "a town, isn't it,
ne said
Very soon you'll be living near enough
to New \ ork to 20 20 a biz town whenever
YOU want
"Jb. New York ne said with sigh
IL don't care much for a town ike that.
ike town like this where there room
to spread out Don't you know. IN New
| York there ism e room to spread out
.l...4 d B. ..l frr.f
we turned into the millIners shop. There
we looked over the stock. trimmed and un-
trimmed The milliners trimmed hats
were firm and stiff little forts, erected to
stand the blasts of northwest winds The
feathers stuck up ike the plumes OF grena-
diers. and the bows were wired SO that they
were as unyielding as metal The rosettes
were sewed fatty and securely II their
places the flowers looked rooted to the
spot, and the birds perched, not for time,
but for eternity he milliner tried on
several of these useful but not beautiful
creations | also paraded, crowned with
different types of them, before the young
Judge who sat on a high stool and squlnted
at us critically, saying frankly 'No, they
amt one bit like the hats mother would
want
"Vot kind of a net is it your mother
dell me and l drim it up vile you wait
u cant tell you what kind of a hat it Is
said Custer, but I'll know 1t when ! see
it
"N ell, somesng vid plue on it. or a fiddle
green fodder, suggested the milllner
'No, it mustn't have any bright color,
said Custer.
Veil, den, nafy blue. dots a nice COLOR
for laty vid kavect dastes
"No, no color at all said Custer
'Dit your mother dell you all plack
said the milliner mo COLOR votever
"No, she didn't tell me
''N ell, now you know den:
because she's in mourning, answered
this provoking boy.
'Gott III Himmel w didn't you dell me
Here | waste dime showing you piues and
binks Veil, l should remark
The milliner, in quite iustitable indgna
ton, trotted OFF to the back Of her shop 70
the drawer where she kept her mourning
hats. Custer glanced over at me with a
faint glimmer of amusement IL MS eyes.
why didn't you tell us l asked.
''Wel, | forgot TO at first, he answered,
and then when ] did remember kind OF
wanted TO see the rest Of her hats. You
know, living out at Fort X. you don't have
a chance 10 see very much
Is 1t awfully dull there ~ ] asked
D dull No with great emphasis
there are about fifty things a boy car
have fun doing
i But older people ] asked, " what dc
] they do for amusement
D well. said Custer, there $ progressive
. euchre-and going over in the ambulanc,
TO the river 10 see the horses washed, auC
o well, that's about all
The milliner returned with hat thai
both Custer and ! agreed was very pretty
d 1t was put in a box and then walkeJ
: together 10 the little railway station on tn,
edge of the prairie. On our way we passed
an object that It was plain to be seen ha,
been bowled over by the dimes of the char
liable. 1t was Charley Ox-heart, rolled IL
his blanket, sound asleep in the prairie
grass.
Y 'Hulloo, Charley" said my companion
"Do you know him. / asked
''Aes, he was IL my confirmation class,
answered Custer nonchalantly but b.
changed his mind when the bishop cam
and wouldn't 20 W.
The train presently came shrieking an,
putting out of the east As 1t flashed up Il
the station l saw gazing from the window
of the day coach the earnest rudy faces o
the Scandinavian farmers 70 whom tn
Northwest was a wheat field. From tn
windows OF the sleeper gazed the keen face
of commercial travellers to whom tn
Northwest was a trading centre and iron
the private car al the rear looked the face
of well-groomed, wel-kept men TO whom
f, the Northwest was playground
IT CHOSE fellows, said Custer, indicatin,
le the occupants of the private car, 'wil
" switch OFF up north at the next station, t
ID shoot duck at Devils lake Goodbye
ar I'm so obliged TO YOU
lg ] watched him as, firmly grasping tn
H. bandboX, he got on the train. On the plat
form he turned, took OFF his hat and wave
1t at me. The bell rang, the train shrieke
and rushed off straight into the sunset
e where the warm, rosy clouds were stoop
~ ing as though 10 set bounds for the wild
a. bleak prairie l stood ii long time watch
y. ing the sweep of sky and land. When tn
~ train was lost in the distance | saw agains
mr. the horizon atall, blanketed figure pursuing
its lonely way westward between the rails
IS 1t was Charley Ox-heart, the good frien
J.. TO whites, walking scornfully and unstead
I IL Il