The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-11-08

S. didn't know enough 10 take on
his hatF'
As the elevator sedately moved up
ward. bearing Miss Hallowell TO the
eighth floor, these words were spilled
from II directly into the sun-burned
ears OF John Peck. OF the sixth floor.
He realized that 1t was bis hat which
had not been taken on and that
through the medium OF this hat he had
incurred the displeasure and scorn "
Miss Hallowell.
He inserted a key in the keyhole OF
Apartment COS, entered. and strobe
nolsily through the inner hall until he
reached his room. He was angry and
hurt. Nothing so cruel as woman's
tongue, and nothing that leaves a man
so defeneeless
John removed the offending hat and
examined 1t critically even approx
ingly. II was sombrero. The
chances were that no hat ia that whole
great city could equal II IN fineness Of
texture and In genuine worth. "Out
West" from where John Peck recent
~ had come I'D where az THIS mo-
ment he heartily wished he werel. the
quality Of a hat Is Of supreme impor-
tance. A hat is actually an integral
part. not merely an adjunct. OF n
wardrobe II Is carefully selected,
jealousy cherished and proudly worn
as a thing Cf art.
The cowboy Is more tender OF his
boots and 'of his hat than he is Of his
pony.
However. despite the evident fact
that this was a hat to be esteemed
among all rival hats. John admitted
to himself that he ought not to have
kept Il on his head while he was In the
elevator with a woman. Il dawned
upon him that there is distinctiCa
between private and public elevators.
lie had committed an error against
society. Take a man who has been on
the range for seven q eight years, and
IN that period scarcely has seen a
woman. and transplant him TO a city,
and although at heart be Is a gentle
man be Is likely at first 10 scratch the
polish OF metropolitan civilization.
Thus 10 oblige a woman. whether
pretty or ugly, John Peek might brave
a norther. but be might meet her the
next day In an elevator and forget to
don his hat
Miss Halloweil had learned only the
latter portion OF this hypothesis, and
now Up on the eighth floor she was
graphically recountlng 20 her friends
her truly narrowing experience. Miss
Hnllowell. maiden lady. was large
and angular and severe. but she had
little mind. easily disturbed
II just glared at him all the way.
she recited. with proper emphasis.
"yet don't believe he even thought Of
his hatl 1 never heard OF such per.
formance. He looked like a cowboy,
and the little fellow in the elevator
SAYS that he rooms on the sixth, In the
Morris apartments. / shouldn't think
the Morrises would take a lodger like
thatf'
Hes a relative Of Mr.. Norris" ex-
plained one friend. "and understand
he's from Arizona. Anyway he's
come to the city to stay awhile. and OF
course Mr.. Morris felt obliged to give
him room until he found permanent
quarters"
well. he isn't a gentleman as
serted Miss Hallowell. concluslvely
For Miss Hallowell was quite sure
that she knew a gentleman when she
saw him.
While on the top floor Of the build
ing Miss Hallowell had been vigorous
" narrating and condemning; whil'
two floors below John Peck had beer
sitting on his bed wrathfully broodinl
over criticism by effete society; while
later. Miss Hallowell had descended
to her own apartments at 617. on thu
same floor with those of the misbe
having Morris family. far down in th'
basement a fire had been born, and
from moment to moment It had beer
growing.
Brought forth in stealth. in stealtl
it sought to live until It's stature wa
assured. Al. o'clock that night j
had been only a tiny flicker Of fam
which the breath OF a babe might hav'
overcome. At O'Clock two buckets o
water could have prevailed against II
At 10 o'clock n single extinguisheI
wisely welded. could haze subdued II
At IL o'clock It still was afraid TO b
seen. So slowly and so craftily was i
eating into the Granny leading betweei
the walls.
But at - o'clock Il had arrived t
fits manhood. It had established 1t
stronghold, and It was ready to fiaun
the red banner Of defiance in the fac
Of thousand people
Therefore 1t rocked not that durin
the midnight hour the engineer. taI
dlly trayersing the corridor, smell