Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-11-01
A MATINEE HAT.
BY. II. c. THURSTON.

hut because her hat had only been
bought the day before. after long labor
and wearisome searching.
To find a suitable hat woman must
forget time and place herself willingly
in the arms of chance until such time as
the hat is not ayerse to showing itself
conspicuously in a window.
All this Dora Massingham had quietly
submitted to, and, in consequence-for
patience is invariably rewarded in the
matter of clothes-she admired herself
quite as much as other people did 1t
vas dream of color, and a creation of
shape, and, to crown ALL for it did crown
her, it framed a remarkably pretty face.
The piece was a new one by new play
wright, but until the curtain had gone
up the fact scarcely interested her.
In the orchestra chairs, where she was
sitting with her mother, there was not
another hat to compare with her own,
and dress raises a woman above her fell
lows, before breeding birth or kin. Ac-
cordingly the prospect of the play trou.
tIed her very little.
At length the curtain rose, and she
leaned back lazily to watch the stage
conscious that some women were still
looking at her enviOusly.
For few moments the play went OF
without her following one word of it, and
then, feeling someone moving uncom-
fortably behind her, she heard a voice
say gently almost in her ear:
Would You mind taking off your hat
can scarcely see the stage / would
move up if | could, but the whole row
is full"
OF course he didn't know that it was
n new hat. Every woman in the theater
lnew, but men are so idiotically stupid.
lie may have asked very nicely, but she
felt her ange: and disappointment rise
almost like u current of tears.
She did not condesoend to say any
thing, bat put her hands mechanically NJ
to the hatpin upon which all position
depended.
Must l ?" she whispered to her mother.
Mrs. Massingham said she was afraid
she must, so the hat was taken off and
laid ON vacant seat by her side.
For the whole of the act her thoughts
ranked against this enthusiastic play
goer. To her it had been disappoint.
ment almost too cruel 10 bear. To have
labored untiringly for the whole of that
V eek to get her hat; to wear it here ut
the matinee of a new play, where there
were sure to be a lot of people whom
she would give worlds to make envious,
and then to be told to take it off. ana
moreover compelled to do so, and by Il
man who proved his Indifference by asst
ing her to do it,
How thoroughly she hated him, and
all through that first oct she kept telling
herself that she detested him. She could
never put it ON again properly without
a glass, and, worst of all, every woman
in the place must know how disguised
she was, and be consequently delighted,
because she had not got such good hat
| herself
At last the curtain went down on the
| first act, and the applause that followed
was thunderous and long. She saw even
critic whom her father knew, sitting
rot far away from them, clapping rs
though he were a schooiboy.
what dc You think of the play?' she
oskcd her mother, who was as enthusi.
astic as anyone.
"Wonderful-so far" she replied. Pay
more attention TO the second act, and
you will see how good it is"
Dora took 4 short look behind her Il
see whether the disgusting man was CT
laying it, after making her take OFT hen
hat.
His hands were covering his face, and
he was not making a sound of approved
She felt IA little satisfied that he was not
enjoying it either.
just before the curtain went up on tn,
second act she looked behind her again.
This time he was looking fixedly Fl
the stage, and his face-Dora had to ad
init that he was more than ordinarily
good looking--was alight with sur.
prised delight that lac could not conceal
So he was enjoying it after nil, sh,
thought.
She watched yhe second act her in
terest growing in the piece every mo
ment, Notwithstanding that she had
taken ne notice whatsoever of the first.
When the curtain fell again she had
become as enthusiastic as anyone, and
ulapped until her hands were tired.
who is the authCr?' she said to hen
mother as the orchestra started thei,
interval
Mrs. Massiugham handed her the pro
gramme, and pointed to the author:
name.
Sydney Lanthorne," she said. mo one
seems to have heard of him before. lie
must be wonderfully clever man"
Wonderfully" echoed Dora; of all
qualities in a man she liked cleverness.
The third and last act ended in an.
planse that was almost deafening. In
the midst OF her clapping Dora looked
behind her TO see what the disagrceable
man had thought Of it, but he had gone
The cries of "Authori Author!" were
being called out from all sides Of the
house. and Dora waited with anxious
excitement to see him come before the
curtain.
At last he came. with reticent manh.
ness that appealed to everyone, and the
eiappnS Was rcdoubled
"Mothcr!' Dora whispered. when she
had seen hlm on the stage for moment
Mother. he's the man behind me who
asked me TO take off my hat. Poor
fellow, no wonder he wanted to see his
own play"