The Elk Mountain pilot., 1903-02-10
!, Little Miss Dcane's
/, New Hat
e%N~~~N~i


remodeled, and that the work would
be begun at once, the Ladies' Aid
Society, 1T it's first meeting, passed
resolution that it would assume re-
sponsibility of one hundred dollars
OF the cost of the improvements
to be made, and in order to
expedite matters as mucn as possi-
BILE, it voted, then and there. to have
an Experience social one month
from the day on which the vote was
taken. Each member of the Aid So
ciety and as many more as could be
interested in the plan, was to- bring
to the social all the money that could
be earned, saved or otherwise secured
between times, with a statement OF
how it was obtained.
Everyone can do something" said
the president of the Aid Society.
None of us expect to be able to do
great deal. but we are to remember
that every little helps, and do the
best we can"
Little Miss Deane-everybody had
called her that since she was a girl,
good many years ago. because she
was of the dumping order of women
thought about the slim prospect of
her being able to do much to help
the good work along. as she walked
homeward, and was greatly disheart-
ened thereat. Not one in the parish
would more willingly do than she to
make a success of the undertaking,
but it was hard work to make both
ends meet now, work and economiZe
as best she could. and she could not
see where anything more Was 10 come
from. Spring sewing was over 1t
would be dull times with her until
fall. But she must continue in some
way to do her share. Dorothy Deane
had never been known to shirk duty,
and certainly 1t was a duty to do
all she could in this case.
I'm toillin0 enough. goodness
knows" thought the little woman.
But that don't count, IL l can't get
something to do. | wonder If Deacon
Spencer wouldn't give me job weed
ing onions? They say the boys and
girls he hires make fifteen or twenty
cents a day at 1t. But | don't suppose
l could stand 1t to work out in the
sun more than a day or two, and II
couldn't I'd likes not be laid up for
week or two after trying 1t, and that
l never could do, for l couldn't af-
ford to have a doctor or nurse II
got sick. III have to think of some
other way. It's discouraging to be
poor, real discouraging, especially
when one wants to help along 80
much. l don't see how it's possible
to be any more saving than 1 am
I oil hof hapn
promising myself for the last five
years, and 1t don't seem as If l could
do that, this old one looks so. It's
hardly fit to be seen. or course
hats a hat, and this answers the pur-
pose OF one as we'll, maybe, as new
one, but the minister said last Sun
day that we ought to dress as well as
we could afford to, because each one
OF us owed something to society, and
good clothes had moral effect. He
made it real plain and convincing, and
| thought then maybe he had my old
hat in mind. He's seen enough of 1t
in the last five years to be quite famil-
lar with it. I'm sure" and little Miss
Deane laughed at the idea. I'D hate
dreadfully to give up getting a new
up money for it SO long, butt don't
know but III have to, unless some
other way of getting money opens
providentially. l wonder If l could
make this old thing do another sea.
SOM"
Miss Deane stopped in the road and
took off her hat to inspect it criti-
cally. 1t was very rusty. 1t showed
evidences of long though careful
usage. 1t was hopelessly out of style.
In short, it was piece of headgear
that proved conclusively that she, by
continuing to wear it, would be fail
ing to cancel her share of indebted
ness to society, If the minister's last
Sunday sermon was based on sound
theories.
"I'n wait till the months up be-
fore | buy a new one,' she decided,
"and If l can't get anything in any
| other way I'll give my hat money, but
! hope | won't have to do that. 1t
ust seems to me I'd have a good deal
more respect for myself If l had a
new hat, one like that | saw at the
milliners with violets under the brim,
and such pretty lace and ribbon in
bunch on top. l shan't dare to go by
the window | saw 1t in for fear I'd be
tempted to buy it in spite of every
thing. And just think hoi0 you'd
feel, Dorothy Deane, when the social
came off and you had to get up before
| everybody and say you hadn't brought
anything! Much good the new hat'd
do you then! But maybe there'll be
some way to earn something. Any
way. we'll hope So"
But it was hoping against hope. The
month slipped away, and when the
time for the social came, poor little
| Miss Deane hadn't earned cent.
..rr,i.a IL IL.