The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-08-18

EARL SAW THE HAT SHE HAD CHOSEN.
just making up his mind to tell the
sleek clerk to put him up "any old
thing when a sweet feminine voice
from somewhere near his elbow asked
another clerk to show her the shirts.
Surprised to find woman in a tailor
shop, Earl glanced up from the red
and black monstrosity he was eXami-
ming and saw slender and particularly
pretty young woman beside him. In
fact, there We're two women, but he
did not glance a second time at the
elderly one.
Jack had rather go shirtless than
shop for himself" the young divinity
was saying to her companion, 80 | buy
all his things. 1t is as much as l can
do to drag him in here to be measured
for a new suit. All, is not this blue
shirt a beauty" She lifted one of the
garments Earl had rejected, and in
Stantly it seemed the most desirable
one in the lot. Down into the hetero-
geneous mass she plunged and drew
out garment after garment, holding
them up for inspection, rejecting or re-
tanning them and talking gayly all the
while.
DO you know, Mollie, | think men
are greatly to be pitied. Think of hav-
ing nothing prettier or daintier than
these madras things-no laces, no rib
bons, no chiffons. l am sure l consider
the wearing Of organizes and elbow
sleeves higher privilege than stuffing
ballots in an old box. Give me that red
shirt" she continued to the clerk mo.
not the red and black That is mourn
ing for his Satanic majesty, so the
proverb says. And now that lilac
striped one. That is the very prettiest
shirt l ever saw. Jack will look lovely
in that, just lovely"
These remarks were divided between
the clerk and her companion, but Earl
drank it all in. What lucky dog Jack
was to have an angel like that to do his
shopping and, incidentally, his house
keeping. He had never before felt his
bachelorhood to be a burden But at
any rate he would profit if only at sec
ond hand by this woman's fine taste
So he surreptitiously duplicated the Sc
lections she made and, paying his bill,
followed the two into the street With
what sure tread the younger one
walked. How we'll she held her Shout
ders and what wonderful gold CLEANS
there We're in her hair. Thinking en-
viously of Jacks luck, Earl went into
the bank where he worked But all
day he seemed to hear that clear voice
saying, Jack will look lovely in this
shirt, just lovely" How nice it must
be to have a pretty woman say that
in place of Jacks and tried to imagine
how her voice would sound in pro-
nouncing it. That night his dreams
were checkered conglomeration of
blue and lilac shirts trimmed in impos-
sible chiffons and short sleeves. In the
morning he told himself he was a fool
and went sOberly to his ledger.
But week later prodded by n very
shabby reflection in his glass, he once
more sought the tailors shop and, to
his surprise, found the same two
young women before the counter.
81 simply could not stand Jack in his
old suit another day, so 1 am selecting
him a new one Mollie. This gray is
very soft and will make up beautiful
ly. That brown? No. l do not care
for dark man in brown. 1t kills his
coloring. Gray emphasizes his best
points. l shall take this"
She laid the sample down and went
to look at some hats. Earl, unnoticed,