The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-04-22

yes. Things all gone well, MaryT
Not at ALI Are you ready for din
ner?'
when I've found my other slipper" "
You're late" continued Mrs. Pei
grove. Dinners been kept back a
quarter of an hour. and you know how
cross Il makes cook. ! have something
serious to say to you after it."
Personally, Matthew would have
preferred having the matter out before
the meal; it would act like night
mare on his digestion. But he sat
obediently up to the table and feigned
interest in the viands, maintaining for
appearance sake when the servant was
present a flow Of small talk, to which
his wife shortly replied.
The meal ended and. folding up her
serylette, Mrs. Pelgroye planted her
elbows ON the table Her husband
recognized the omen and trembled.
Had a successful little trip, Mat
thew?"
"Yes, yery-thank you!"
You don't seem up to the mark to-
night"
"a trlhing headache. Travelling, you
know, does shake one up a bit That
reminds me. I've left my portmanteau
at the Office"
She made no comment Matthew
played with a salt-spoon. He could
not possibly meet her gaze.
"Tve been dreadfully put out, Mat
thew. l discovered on Saturday-oh,
it's too awful to speak about"
The blow was coming. and Pelgrove
turned hot all over. Mary was clearly
holding herself in. In a moment the
storm would break in all its violence,
and a poor man who had done wrong
and knew It would go down before the
blast.
Il was sitting at this window quiet
~ sewing on Saturday morning, when
an open fly drove by. Mr.. and Mrs.
Needham Smith were in it, and the
coachman had pile Of luggage beside
him. But what do you think Mrs.
Smith had on her head?"
I'm sure / don't know replied
Matthew. puzzled, yet relieved. Some
thing absurd, | suppose A yachting
cap?"
NO. Matthew: worse than that!
Just think Of the horror Of It! A hat
the precise image Of my new one.
Wasn't It a shock for me"
Pelgroye saw daylight struggling
through.
Really" he exclaimed, excitedly.
Where were they going?'
Il didn't know at the time, but the
grocer's man told me afterwards.
They were off to spend a week at
Hastings. Why, Matthew, what is the
matter with your
Nothing-nothing. | was Just think
ing what a burning shame about that
hat. Mrs. Needham Smith has copied
it, I suppose. Now | remember, she
had hair much the same color as
yours. and thought perhaps It might
suit her."
1T doesn't, Matthew. She looks abb
solutely hideous in IT, Oh, it's a scan
dal. I've not stirred from the house
since: | was so upset / shall never
speak to that woman again. You are
not laughing?'
Rather mott I'm just as put out as
you. Mary. When I've bought you a
nice thing. it's too bad to find It imi-
tated. What a pity for you women
there isn't a law Of copyright in hats! "
He felt like a school-boy again. So
IT was Mrs. Needham Smith who had
given him the fright at Hastings,
and she and her husband had
been his visitors at the hotel. Now,
fortunately. relations between their
wives. never cordial ones. would en-
tirely cease
I'm so glad you did well by going
to Bradford, Mat The fact is-well
I must get another hat now"
"Of coursel You shall have one i'm
mediately. Go to a good Regent street
shopl Mrs. Smith can't very well copy
what you get there"
"Oh. Matthew, how good Of you!
We mustn't let the Needham Smiths
cut us out. Could you afford to take
me by-and-by down to Hastings for a
little?"
She looked at him a trine doubtfully
but his response was ready and eager
"WeT 90, Mary, in about a weeks
time. directly the Needham Smiths gel
home. Why, It must be seven or eight
years since we went to Hastiugs-to
gether!"-London Tit Bits.