Evening star., 1902-05-31
BUYING A STRAW HAT

| For long time the man stood gazing
| into the hat store window.
Then he neryously drove his right hand
| into his right side vest pocket. pulled out
| a moderate-sized roll Of new bills, obvious
| ly government money. and looked 1t over.
Then, replacing the roll. he gazed into the
| window of the hat store for a long time
again.
Then he shook his head and muttered to
himself, and walked out to the curb and
stared abstractedly at the gutter for a long
spell.
He continued muttering and shaking his
head. and every once in while he'd throw
his shoulders back in self-assertive man
ner. scowl defiantly, and start for the hat
window. Before getting there however,
his shoulders would droop again, and his
defiant scowl would give way to an express
sion of uncertainty. and he would turn back
to the curb and look at the gutter some
more.
His actions were surely queer. and he kept
them up for good twenty minutes.
The man seemed nervous and dis
traught. not to say decidedly eccentric IN
his manner that big, good-natured cop,
who had been curiously watching him from
the corner for some time finally strolled
over to where he stood on the curb, shak-
ing his head and talking to himself
"Worred?" inquired the cop in sooth-
ing off-hand tone.
The man glanced up and grinned in
greasy, shame faced sort of way.
II sure am" he replied. scratching the
back of his head refectively.
Lose anything?" asked the policeman
Nope" said the nervous-looking man.
Bad news?" asked the guardian of the
law
Nope, it's not that, either" was the re-
ply.
Must ha' lost some sleep last night"
said the cop, glancing shrewdly at the nerv-
ous-looking man out of the slants of his
eyes.
Nix" was the reply. "slept like hum
top for eight hours.''
Well said the policeman, with broad
smile, what's got you tied up, then, if
you'll overlook my butting in?
returning the pO1iceman'S SMILE the
nervous looking man took the cop by the
arm and gently led him over to the hat
store window.
Dye see that hat?" he inquired of the
br1mmed Panama marked SIS in the center
of the display of straw hats.
"Uh-huh,' replied the officer. Mice top
piece
That's what she am" said the nervous
looking man. ITS a babe of a hat and
I've been standing around here for half an
hour trying to make up my mind to hop in
mere ana buy It, I've had my eye on that
L
clapped an eye on it I've been trying to
muster up the nerve to hike down here on
pay day and annex it. Been longing for a
nat IKE that for years-just exactly my
ldea OF what straw hat ought to be-
We'll, if you've got the dough why don't
you Just walk in and put it on and wear
it?' inquired the cop.
We'll. that's just it, said the nervous
man, mopping his forehead and looking
desperate I've got the coin to buy it, ali
right, but. say. now, what would your
VIE say to you if you had the gall to wear
d an nat non nome that you'd paid si5 for? Would
you dare to tell her that you'd dug I'D that
much money for lid? Nix. you wouldn't!
"a double-dog dare you to do it,''
on, l dunno said the policeman, and
yet there was a far-away look in his eyes
l u take chance If wanted the hat bad
guess ''>' '''N'
well. blame me if don't believe I'll take
q chance myself. then. and buy the old
thing, said the nervous man enawine an
his mustache and squaring his Shoulders
again and looking aggressive.
Sure thing said the cop "G'wan and
get IT, ana make stand if she sets up a
roar. That's the only way to get along AT
Iome=wear the pajamas yourself" and vet
there wasn't much conviction in the
brawny policemans tone.
Wen, IN just do it. and that's all there
! Is about it, exclaimed the nervous man.
and bracing himself, he almost ran into the
hat store ~'-
| The policeman stood in front of the hat
sore 80 WINDOW, ana presently he saw one of
the clerks reaching for the S15 Panama
res got some spunk, after ALL NUT
| tered the cop to himself, and he walked out
to the curb to wait for the nervous man to
emerge. so as to size him up with the new
| piece of headgear on his head.
| inside of about four minutes the nervous
man came racing out Of the hat store
wearing dinky little $1.4S round, rough
straw hat on his head. The cop grinned.
Didn't fit you, hey?' he said to the ner-
| vous man.
| ''Oh it fitted all right" gasped the ner-
vous man. charging up the street with the
| S14 hat bobbing all over his head, "but I
| craWhshed at the last minute Why she'd
| break my neck.' and when he disappeared
| at half-lope around the corner the COD
| threw his head back and laughed, and then
| swung on saying to himself:
~ guess that guy knows his little book
| all right enough. after all. He's stuck on
| peaceful home"