The Washington bee., 1901-05-11
ABOUT A NEW HAT.

In the discussion of expenditures and
ways and means the hat question came up
again.
I'm actually ashamed to 60 out, said
Mrs. Townsend. What do you suppose
Mrs. Burton said to me the other day? /
met her IN State street and, heavens! how
she did gush over mel You'd have thought
! was her longlOst sister. You know how
swfully, awfully nice she can be- oh, it's
been an age since I've seen you, and how
is Mr.. TOwnsend-and those dear, sweet
ehildren?"
81 don't see anything to arouse indigna-
ton in that" said Townsend. 1T was
kind o. her to inquire about me, and ap-
preciaEe it."
''Wn you allow me to finish talking,
James,"
"Ill be glad to have you do So"
II suppose so. You would be glad to
have me eternally silent on the subject Of
anything l need. You get anything you
want and I can go on wearing the same
old dresses and hats until they drop into
rags on ne. Pm willing. We won't say
anything more about it."
Back up, back up, my DEAR" said Town
send. You're getting of the track. You
then you switched on to Mrs. Burton
and"
Il was going to tell you what she said.
She said: j wasn't quite sure at first that
it was you-you know how shortsighted
am-and then / recognized your hat
snd l knew that couldn't be mistaken"
''Well?"
ooh, I've no patience with you, James"
Il wish you would try to have a little.
Now, wait moment. She told me she
wasn't sure whether it was you and then
she-oh! I catch on. You didn't like it
because she knew your hat, l see. That's
the idea, is il, You want to keep them
guessing On your headgear-give them an
assortment that they can't memorize!"
81 don't want them TO reckon their dates
from the year that 1 get my hat"
(Which hat?"
How many have I got, pray?"
81 don't know, I'm sure, my dear; but
we might go at it in a spirit of honest in
quigy and approximate There's that black,
round thing with the big steel buckle, and
the brimmed one with the feathers,
and the one fixed up with blue velvet, and
that white straw with the roses and posies,
and the bird hat, and-are you keeping
count?'
I'D try not to be absurd if I were you"
"You wanted to know how many you
ha0 and l should think you would be
puzzled at times"
''Do you know how many coats and
waistcoats and pairs of trousers you have
got hanging up in your closet? Yet you
have been talking of getting a new spring
suit-and hats! There are 80 hats that
you haven't worn in ten years, but you keep
on buying new ones. OF course, it's all right
for you. You need them; don't"
IF you'll count them again carefully ]
don't think you'll find more than 49,"
There's enough of them, anyway"
"You didn't hear me complain, did you?
l believe l have got some old clothes in the
closet, but you needn't let that worry you.
If there are too many of them, sell them
to the ragman or give them to deserving
tramps"
Il don't suppose you remember what you
said when l gave away an old suit of yours
last summer"
I've forgotten exactly what it was. Tell
me, if you can remember. Perhaps IL will
have some bearing on the subject. Ali sorts
Of unlikely things happen at times"
Il should be sorry to repeat what you
said. l would ike TO be able to forget, but
I'm not likely to. I wonder you are not
ashamed to speak of it,"
Il think it was you who spoke of it. Pos
sibly l said what did With the idea of i'm.
pressing you with a sense of the blamed
foolishness Of giving away $40 suit of
clothes that l had WORE only half dozen
times"
IF you intend to begin again I shall
leave the room. l won't stand here to
/ listen to such language"
Please don't go. Stay and tell me some
more about my wardrobe How am fixed
for socks! / couldn't find a whole pair in
the drawer this morning when was dress-
ing"
Certainly you couldn't. I didn't expect
that you could. l am gadding about all the
time and neglect the children and never
darn my husbands socks, and let the house
go generally to ths-you say it. know you
are dying to say it. I'm sorry that don't
suit you, my dear"
See here, Lizzie; what's the matter
with you? l never said that yoz neglected
things and l never accused you of Radding
Ia my life. You know never did"
"You might inst ss yell come right ont