The champion. (Arcadia, Fla.) 1895-1911, 1906-01-25

any one Of hair dozen places they
mentioned, ana the only thing % do
was to give up further thought OF Gene
We've on pursue his quest
l He decided at once 20 pursue He al
ways had been battered by women run
ming after him, now be was running
after one Of tho opposite sex, and there
was something novel IN the change He
went TO Massachusetts and was sent on
to Vermont. There they sent hlrf'7er
into Canada, and he reached Canada to
be told that Michigan was his likely
I field.
This occupied full month. The
bachelor did not travel BY lightning
express. He stopped on the way 10
think OF Genevleve anG take his Turk
lsh baths and get bis nails manicured.
He got around TO Michigan az last,
however. He had no sooner set eyes
on the Maumee river at Toledo than
he began TO ~ hopeful During the
ride Of eighty miles to Detroit he saw
many cattails and much marsh grass
and other things Of which straw hats
are made. and his hopes continued to
increase.
Arriving az the City Of the Straits,
the bachelor located the only hat fac
tory in town and then went to his
hotel to make ready for an interview
on the morrow He was alternating
between fear and hope whom drum
mer with whom he fell In reached for
his hat 10 the familiar way drummers
have on two minutes acquaintance
and looked II over and said
"Once In awhile one Of you New
York fellers shows little common
sense In articles OF dress"
How do you meant"
This is the best straw hat made,
and II was made right here in this III.
tie burg"
That settled Il, and a bland and
coInplacent' smile broke over the face
Of the bachelor He could forgive the
innuendo because hls long chase was
at last ended In the language Of sher-
lock Holmes, be had run his quarry to
earth, and the morrow would bring
crisis. Mr.. Arnold Thompson realized
that he was or on a tangent lie had
the reputation Of being a cool and I'm.
perturbable fellow, one who never lost
his head about women, but he had to
acknowledge that BIO had made fool
Of himself IN this affair-that Is, all
his friends would say so He had
some excuses for his own ear, and II I
they were not sufficient he wasn't go
ing 10 admit the fact.
At 10 o'clock the next morning the
bachelor started for the hat factory. |
He intended TO walk right IN and talk
about hats and perhaps pass himself
of as q retailer It was a small con
Germ, employing only about half a dozen
wOmen to sew the braid purchased |
somewhere else, The business Office
and the workshop were in one, and
the romanclst entered 70 find woman
about forty years old in charge. She
explained that the boss had Just step I
ped out and asked what was wanted.
Mr.. Thompson began TO talk about
hats, and he was making slow work Of
1t when one OF the girls came forward
and said to the woman:
Excuse me, Mrs, Burton, but am |
sewing this rightT
Are you Geneyieve BurtonT asked
the bachelor as she turned TO him again.
IL am" she replied as she tried TO
blush.
"You--yOu wrote your name and slip
ped It behind the swaziland Of this
latT
II did, sir."
"W-what was your object?'
Just trick Of the trade / am paid
2 a week extra for that. That's why
We call It the Romance hat We have
ent out 1900 hats. and every one has
ny name in. Has It given you q back.
lche to find out where the hat was
Never again, Geneyieve = never
lgain VIII ] believe in woman or 70.
nance| exclaimed Arnold Thompson !
his most tragic tones. And an hour
alter he was fleeing the town and try.
ng 70 make himself believe that be was
travelling to broaden his ideas on his
'wn country.
4