Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-17
BOREAs PLAYS WITH MILLER
Thea COIOneI Noise Makes Good by
Telling county Clerk what
90 Wear.

A robust squall Of wind with sand in it's
teeth vent bowling down the Farnam street
hill Sunday forenoon. seeking whom 1t
might embarrass. Il set the signs creak-
ing, raised the dust In clouds and caused
two or three women to turn sidewise and
brace themselves; then passed on TO
Harry c. Miller, county clerk, who was
standing in front OF the Merchants hotel.
Mr.. Miller, though a good politician,
didn't recognize Old Boreas as one Of his
constituents. This offended the grizsled
god.
"Ill teach you better manners" he
said, and whisked his derby hat of, and
sent It careening into the gutter.
Mr.. Miller stopped to pick 1t up. but the
god was in a merry mood, and when the
clerks fingers were about to close upon it
the hat turned over and rolled about a
foot. Mr.. Miller tried It again. The hat
lifted Itself on its rim and piroutted a
few fancy steps. Mr.. Miller pretended not
to know that a crowd OF men had come out
OF the hotel ONCE and were watching the
contest with scientific interest. He tried
again, this time getting on the lee side
OF II. The hat waited until he had taken
MS position, then executed a retrograde
movement. and doubled on its course.
N-11 WV VI ~ hbn uONEA
to look on. Several neighboring barber
shops yielded their quota of spectators.
Mr.. Miller invoked the blight Of Egypt
upon the luckless lid.
He stalked 1t again from the lee side.
Approaching on tiptoe, he poised himself
an instant, carefully measuring the dis
lance. then pounced downward with the full
impetus OF his a~voirdupois.
AT this point 1t is necessary to the our
poses Of this narrative to leave Mr.. Miller
struggling with the hat to take I'D another
phase Of his career. II will be
that recently he had trouble with Walter
Noise, the democratic dictator. and the
trouble left their relations somewhat
strained. Mr.. Miller said Mr.. Noise 'did
him dirt" He says he is even yet trying
to dictate the patronage Of his ONCE. ''The
next thing | know" Mr.. Miller is credited
with saying. he'll be telling me what to
wear"
Matters we're in this state when the ruff
nan gust came down the Farnam street hill.
Now to return to Mr.. Miller and his head
gear.
When he swooped down that time the hat
was not there to break the force of his
taIl. A gust had whisked It away at the
crucial moment, and II went hurtling down
the street, skimming laterally, bowling end
over end, and skating along the pavement
ike a thing Of life. The crowd gave a
whoop Of Joy. A newsboy tried TO catch
It, but 1t sidestepped him adroitly and
impinsed against a plate glass window, from
which IL caromed back upon the cobble
stones.
Mr.. Miller put his hands in his pockets
and walked down in its direction, trying to
look unconcerned.
Mister, your lids blowed off," shouted a
newsboy.
Mr.. Miller put his hand to his hair and
seemed surprised.
A man and a woman drove slowly bp
In a carriage. They evidently knew Mr..
Miller. They caught his eye. and he made
a motion as II to lift his hat to them. but
IL wasn't there. He bowed instead. and re-
sumed his chase of the derby.
Meanwhile the headgear was beating A
tattoo on the cobbie stones in the neigh
borhood OF Mogy's place. A woman who
was crossing the street stopped to pick IL
up. but II arose unlike one OF Maxim's
airships. looped the loop a couple OF times
and seemed to be inspecting the insulation
on tine arc light wires. Then It became
momentarily obscured in a cloud Of dust.
The crowd, with Mr.. Miller In it's lead.
moved slowly down Farnam street. The
clerks hair was wind tossed and disheyeled
and upon his face was a look of saint-like
resignation. The dust cloud dlssipated, and
from 1t emerged the very substantial form of
q man. He had a hat upon his head, also one
In his hand. II was Walter Noise.
II caught this on the n.y." said he, hold
ing the derby up to the inspection Of the
advancing crowd.
Batter outl" cried a newsboy.
Thanks" said Mr.. Miller, taking the hat.
That's all right" said Noise, "I know
how It is. My head used to be too big for
my hat Sunday mornings. Better get one
thatIl ft you"
He was rubbing dust out Of his eyes all
, the while. so 1t is doubtful IL he recognized
his enemy. In any event he made Mr.. MIL
ler's prophecy good by telling him what to
, wear.