Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-11-11
SHORT STORY FOR
EVENING HOURS
FRED PRESTON'S PLAN

Mollie Preston was washing dishes
in the kitchen, while her mother chat.
ted with the ueighbor vino had just
moved in next door, and now and then
little snatchcs of conversation ioated
out to Mollie through the open door.
Mrs. Barclay had risen to 20 when,
struck with sudden thought, she
turned to Mrs. Preston and said:
BY the way. wouldn't you like to 90
shopping with me tomorrow atternooni
You know Mrs Parker has her millin
cry opening then, and always like to
choose my bonnots early, don't your"
81 is always best to DO 80 when one
can. | think, replied Mrs. Preston.
Then I shall ,ail Tor you about .
c'clock?" asked Mrs. Barclay, brightly
Il am afraid | really cannot 90 to
morrow. though | should love to dearly
IL It were possible" returned Mrs
Preston, slowly. you see. II is the
day for Mollie's music lesson and there
would be no one to leave with baby"
oh, / am so sorry. ! always enjoy
an outing so much more ii have com
pany; but | must hurry home or there
will be no dinner at our house today.
fear" and the new neighbor hurried
away.
why didn't you go?" said Mollie, re.
grCtfully as she entered the room.
Fired could have taken care Of tho
baby for once. guess. And It Is nicer,
u. Mrs. Barclay says, to get hat be
fore all the prettier ones have been
chosen
But supposing you are so unfortun
ate as to be Obliged TO forego that lux
Jury entlrcly?" returned Mrs. Preston,
grGvely.
oh, mother! You surely don't mean
that you are going to wear your old
hat again this summer" returned Moi.
lie in dismay. why. it must be three
or four summers old already and You
know yourself it's a perfect fright"
Yes, Mollie, ! know returned heI
mother with a patient little sigh. But
you know there are so many other
heads for which new hats must ba
found that there Is really not enough
money to 20 round. and then doesn't
matter so much about me, after all,
because it is so seldom 80 anywhere
u wear hat, you see"
II was hours later when MOllie Ell
cred her mothers room very quietly
in fear Of waking baby from his nap,
and found Mrs. Preston regarding
worn ana battered hat, with far from
satisfied expression. Mollie stopped
still on the threshold and watched In
establishment while uer mothers worn
fingers tried to straighten out the gray
and dusty lace and unCurl the leaves
'ot the discouraged looking flowers with
which the hat was trimmed, and then.
a. Mrs. Preston abandoned the task
VITA sigh of discouragcment, the
gar turned and fled away as silently
as she had come, and as she hurried
down stairs she saI.. with u little sob
in her voice.
why, mother wants new hat! She
wants one after all. | do believe she
was going to cry In just a minute
more. Oh, dear me, whatever shall |
do" Mollle never stopped for any.
thing until she reached the big tree in
the corner of the yard where Fred and
the twins were planning some frolic
for the next day. ".nildren," she
said tragically. mothers up stairs
crying!"
The twins stared at her in open.
eyed amaZement, but Fred philosophi.
cally inquired: What's she crying
FORE"
oh, dear" said Mollie, turning and
gazing at her brother in undisguised
distress, why, because she wants
new hat"
Then what's the reason she don't
buy her one?" said Fred in amaze.
ment.
We're the reason. You and | and
oil of u.s." cycling reproachfully the
whole astonished little group. 1T costs
so much for MS there's nothing left for
poor mother Oh, you've no idea how
much 1t costs for us; you haven't in,
deed, children" and Mollie sighed de-
spalringly,
At this Bobby, the biggest twin, be.
gan TO howl dismally, and Mary to
sniff and rub a grimy little fist into
her eyes, but Fred silenced them by a
wave of his hand and said grandly:
Hush up, children. II mother wants
o bonnet and hasn't money to buy
II, why, of course, we'll have to buy It
for her"
But how, Fred? Howl" cried Mol
lie. hopefully.
"Oh, ! don't know now. Just do II.
some way" returned Fred, easily.
pho" shifted Mollie, disdainfully.
That's just like boy; they're always
going IN do SOmpthinp hip and UronJ