Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1907-01-23
THE GIRL AT THE
MILLINER'S
BY ISABEL HOWARD



arrangement while / waltz"
Certainly, Miss Hilda. l am very
sorry it did not give satisfaction"
"Oh, there isn't much the matter"
and the young girl proceeded to in
struct the milliner as to the altera-
tons she desired.
If you will sit down few minutes,
Miss Hilda, l will take the hat to the
workroom and put it right"
Miss Hilda, however could not sit
still for long. She moved about the
showroom, examining the goods with
critical eye and, while thus engaged,
the curtains which shut off this de-
partment from the shop opened and a
lady and gentleman entsSed
The former was. tan and dignified,
albeit young, and beautiful.
Bestowfhg the merest glance upon
Hifda, she said, in somewhat naughty
tones:
"Will you please show me some
sailor hats?"
Certainly, madam. White or
black"
"Oh, of course-white"
II was easy to select a goodly num-
Der from the pile on the table, and
Hilda handed one after another try
ing to make some apropos remark re-
specting each.
But sudden confusion over
whelmed her on discovering that the
mans eyes were fixed upon her face.
Could he be anyone she ought to
know? Surely she had never seen him
before. If so, what must he think?
Luckily at that moment the milliner
returned, and Hilda made a sign to
her to attend to her new customer
while she herself slipped into the
background, feeling rather hot and I'M
comfortable.
When the two had departed, she
said:
They took me for one of your as
sistants, so /"
OH the tone was quite shocked,
but Hilda laughed gayly.
Meanwhile the other lady and her
brother were riding home in smart
little dogcart.
You know, Theo, there is nothing
for you but rich marriage" she was
saying. Where should | be now if
had not married well?"
Exactly SOL"
An irritated expression came into
his eyes. 1T is so different for
woman though he said. "And more
over, you were safely married before
the crash came"
Yes, thank goodness! But | don't
understand the other part of your re-
mark"
why, a man ought to be able to
fend for himself, without wanting his
wife to keep him. No, l can't do it,"
Cant do what?"
Make mercenary marriage"
why, dear boy, only this morning
you said that you had never been in
love-that one woman was the same
as another to you, and that you did
not care whom you married so long
as she was passable to look att"
Yes, but l am not going to marry:
intend to have just one little fling for
the next few months while my cash
lasts, and then go-oh--to the Klon-
dixie, the Philippines-anywhere."
'Theo! Are you mad?"
"No-just recovering my senses and
my self-respect."
Everyone says that Miss Eversley
Is very pretty, and she is fabuIously
rich"
"Oh, hang Miss Eversley!" And
he continued: But that lit
tie milliner! What glorious eyes she
has. and what exquisite coloring, and
what a mouth! The idea of such a
divinity having to earn her living in
a place like that"
AT all events, you will see her next
week, and then you can Judge for
yourself.
"See-whom
"Why, Miss Eversley, Of course.
We're we not speaking Of herr"
She would have been hugely dis
turbed could she have watched Theo-
dore during the ensuing days. He
haunted the little market town of
Norton until he felt that he knew
every pane Of glass in every one of
the windows, and before the Diapers
he planted himself for full hour at
a time every morning, reading the va
rious tickets, examining the goods,
and now and then venturing boldly in
side to buy pair Of gloves or neck
tie, until the proprietor began to re-
gard him as an amiable lunatic.
"And to think she Is shop grill"
he said. Her face, her voice, her
accent are all perfectl OF course her
dress must be-they have to dress
well to keep up the honor Of the es-
Oh, hang 1t ALT Why
is fate so unl1ind? know Cissie will
be wild If she gets a giimmer Of the
state of affairs, but-either that girl
shall be my wife or ] win remain a
bachelor"
On reaching Mrs. Bertram's house,
one morning he found that lady In
great state of excitement
Il have seen her!" we're her first
words.
"And who is herT"
"NTiea EversIav. She Is q lovely lit