The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-07-21
THE PARTNERSHIP HAT.

THE PARTNERSHIP HAT.
The hat in question was a fine
black straw, nearly fiat in shape and
tastefully trimmed with pink roses
and black lace. And each undivi-
ded half belonged to a different girl,
curioes partnership.
The two owners of this very pretty
hat were Mary Olden and Minnie
Owens. So the initials inside could
be shown as proof of the ownership
of both or either.
These two young girls worked in
a factory where there was much to
do and little to earn. They lived in
tiny house quite mile from the
factory. The reason they did this
was they did not like the surround
ings in the cheap boarding places
where the majority of the factory
girls lived, and here they had the
advantage of privacy, quiet and the
motherly care of the owner of the
house.
By dint of great economy both
girls had achieved neat black mohair
suits for "best," but it seemed i'm
possible for them both to get hats
suitable for the mohair costumes for
the price which they could afford.
The ready-to-wear hats in vogue at
that place did not appeal to either of
them, and the others cost too much.
So one day, while the question was
being discussed, Mrs. Pierce, their
landlady, said
"Why don't you club together and
get one real nice hat in partner
ship?"
"But we couldn't wear it both at
once" said Minnie.
''I don't see how it could be man
aged" said Mary thoughtfully, yet
she was ready to be convinced, as
they had both fallen in love with the
hat mentioned above.
"Why, Minnie goes to 10 O'Clock
mass in her church way downtown,
and you go to evening service in
another church. /"
"I might want to go in the even
ing, too," said Minnie.
"Now, see here the hat you want
is good investment. It will do
over four or five seasons, and the
lace is good. New flowers don't cost
much. To have it you must make
concessions. It costs more than
either alone can pay. Fix it this
way: Minnie has it one Sunday and
Mary the next. And if you do as I
say about the churches no one will
ever know, bat each have one.
IT am willing if Minnie is.
"I'm agreeable" said Minnie.
"But who is to wear it first!'
"We'll do as the men do-spin
penny, and if it falls head up it is
Mary, and if tails it is Minnie"
"That's fair" said Minnie. Mrs.
Pierce, with great gravity, spun a
penny, which fell with the Indians
face down. So Minnie was to wear
it first.
They bought the hat that night.
Both tried it on in their best suits.
Minnie wore high pompadour
and tipped the hat back on her head
so that it formed an aureole above
her face. Mary brought it down
over her brow, as she wore her
abundant hair simply parted and
braided at the back and coiled there.
The hat adapted itself to each pretty
face.
1t must be admitted that Mary
sighed as Minnie walked proudly off
that first Sunday. Somehow the
bloom was rubbed off the plum ever
so little. 81 do hope it won't rain, J"
thought Mary.
One day Minnie came home with
very red cheeks, and she was not
alone, for young Ferguson, one of
the boss toremen, came with her.
It was evident that he was desper-
ately in love with her, though, his
admiring glances fell more often on
the hat than on Minnie herself.
Minnie took the hat off and gave it
to Mary, who suddenly noticed two
very big pin holes in the crown. 1t
in three Sundays it was going to
show signs of wear Minnie ought to
be more careful. 1t belonged to her
as much as to Minnie, and Minnie
was very careless, and the way Min
ME wore her hair no hat could be ex-
pected to stay on unless it was fairly
skewered. Really she must speak to
Minnie, but of course not before Mr..
Ferguson. So she brushed the hat
tenderly, covered it with tissue pa
per and laid it in the box.
The next Sunday Mary went to
church, leaving Minnie the picture
of desolation, and Mary did not re.
turn alone. Mr.. Elverton, the hand
some young clerk of the district court
had had his eyes compelled by the
sweet face of Mary, but more by the
elegant hat, with its fine pink rose:
half buried in the black lace, 1t wa:
so different from the fearful creation:
of the local milliners that, man as hs
was, he noticed it and was drawn tc
his doom.
Minnie did the most of the talking
that afternoon. Mary was filled will
a new Joy, so great and so wonderful
that she had no words. Whenevel
she raised her limpid eyes to Or
| mond's face she saw such light o
tenderness and love in his that her
dropped with the wealth of happines
that had come to her. He lovet
her
The next Sunday Mary remained
at home, and Minnie wore the hat
Mr.. Ferguson came home with her
Late in the afternoon Ormond cam
to ask if Mary were indisposed. HI
had not seen her at church.
No; Mary was quite we'll, but wo
men know how to invent excuse
that prove one thing while being en-