The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-02-05
MRS. %pELGROVE'S HAT.
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BY Herbert Jameson.
*$4R

r+$44{
RH ATTHEW PELGROVE strolled
ll along the esplanade at Hastings,
chuckling to himself. From a moral
standpoint he had done a most repre-
hensible thing, but the circumstances
were certainly mitigating. May not
much be forgiven to a mar whose wife
has a shrewish tongue, and ideas of
expenditure that by no means square
with tl-2 possibilities of a limited in
come?
Three days previously, in the pri-
vaey of their home at Hornsey. Mat
thew had remarked to his wife,
My dear, l find / shall have to go
to Bradford on Friday
Mrs. Pelgrove lowered the cofiee-pot
and glanced sharply across the table.
oh! Rather unexpected, isn't it?
On business"
Certainly! Must see some wool
people there before the next London
sales. Most important clients"
II understand. Shall ! come, too?'
Matthew endangered the life of his
cup by bringing it precipitately to the
table.
impossible, Mary! Bradford's not
a place for pleasure. Besides, | shall
be fully engaged all the time
That was what had passed between
them. And this Saturday afternoon,
when his wife believed him to pe in the
north ~transacting business. Pelgrove,
the arch-deceiver, vas bathing in beau
tiful autumnal sunshine on the Hast
ings promenade.
He wore a blithe and jaunty air.
How sweet it was to capture, even for
a weekend. the lost delights of bach
elorhood! Did he not bless the comic
paper that had first suggested to him
this brilliant notion of duplicity, and
resolve to subscribe to it for the ia
ture? The very day was in fitting ac-
cord with his spirit of hilarity.
At home Mrs. Pelgrove insisted on
her husband dressing in harmony with
the aeasT Ct the:c se.tee! snhnrh, but
here he had thrown (metaphorically)
conventional attire to the winds-in-
deed, 1t consisted of little but a white
flannel suit, a red and orange boating
blazer, and a sui hat worn at a rakish
tilt. AS Matthew stepped along, OBJ
serving the varied life of Hastings, he
persuaded himself that he had not a
care in the world. He could even smile
at his wife's desperate ambition to cut
a social figure, and her bitter discon-
tent that he was not making money
fast enough for the full attainment of
her purpose. Money-bah!-the word
had an ugly sound. Nothing should
be allowed to poison to-day his draught
of pleasure.
Now, Matthew Pelgrove was not
given to much exercise, and he pres
emily became aware that, despite the
lightness of his raiment, his lower
limbs were beginning to ache. He
wouid seek ono of i inviting
shelters where, shielded from the SUMS
rays, he might watch the people and
indulge to the full his present sense
OF contentment.
Proceeding a little farther he espied
a vacant place. That glass partition,
dividing the seats on either side, would
pleasantly shelter him from all
draughts, and this corner seat looked
most luxurious. The authorities really
deserved
But at that moment Matthew got a
terrible shock. Sharply defined against
the glass on the other side of the
shelter was a hat---a hat reposing on
9 woman's head of golden hair.
Matthew turned and literally ran from
the spot. No one could mistake that
haiti was his wife's; he would pick
It out amongst a thousand others.
2 vivsdly he remembered the sick
ening feeling with which three weeks
3 Pc had regarded 1t, perched for
ting FIRST time on her proudly raised
heads Surely nothing SO blatant. moth
ing 80 vulgar had ever sprung to ex-
istence before IN the millinery world.
Through all the dark 1 had feni-
mine taste stopped to such in aDpai1-
Ing confectiOn Of color? And The nrice
well, his bank balances suffered from,
1T yet.
So Mary had discovered his scheme
and followed him To- Hastings. An,
bow Ia tssIe am of wonder--ah. Ia
had III He had stupidity mentioned iii
real destination To the manage al HI
Office Evidently suspicious 81 some
f3ssng, bis wife had gone nere Al.
I4I1E