The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-07-23
The Romance of q Blue Straw
By A. L. MA X RIS

milllntI ShOp AZ All cNthN0s NV
when the man is alone. It's a DIFF
ferent thing when he has a wife or
daughter with him. Then it's. "Oh.
do look at that sweet little toque with
the violetsl II would just go with
my new dress" or. Did you ever see
anything in better taste than that
brown velvet hat with the long. shad-
ed ostrich feather? It's exactly my
style"
And the man. poor thing. generally
yawns and refuses 10 see anything. or
else looks at every hat but the right
one. and says: If you don't look
sharp We will miss that train: and
you've got enough hats already Tor a
woman with two heads" That Is
what l heard a brute say once.
AS I have said, II isn't often you see
a man, a solitary man, without any
feminine companions. take the inter
est that this man seemed 10 be taking
In our window.
He had rather a nice face. kind and
c~lean-shaven. and with a look about
the corners OF the mouth as though
he wouldn't grudge his wife every dol
lar she spent on herself.
II was just the slack time. and. as
there were no customers and / had
nothing particular 10 DO at the mo-
ment. | stood and watched him from
behind the long lace curtains.
After carefully considering them all
and apparently shaking his head over
according 10 the label-'the latest
Parisian model" representing a sea
gull. with outstretched wings. poised
over "A sort of exaggerated pink felt
soup-plate. he fastened On one which
seemed to meet his views exactly.
And apart from the Paris model
which, though awfully stylish, might
not be eyerybody's fancy-he certainly
showed admirable taste.
yes" / said to myself. you could
not have made a better choice. That
hat is the prettiest we have shown for
some time"
II was a very fine. light-blue straw,
turned up at the back with a wreath
OF lilac which looked as though II
had been blown on to II.
Well. he looked and looked. and |
watched him through the curtain and
thought how much I preferred a clean
shaven face TO one with what our
Miss Tompkins calls "a silky nous
tache." Then he smiled 10 himself
then he looked grave. and then seem
ed TO make up his mind and pushed
open the door.
Can you" he said. that is. have
you any objection 10 tell me the price
OF that-er-blue hat in the window!
There was more than one blue hat
in the window. sc | pretended to
misunderstood him.
The one with the paradise plume?'
I inquired.
No" he replied. Il don't approve
OF that sort Of thing at all. | meal
the one all over lilac"
"Oh. that? That is only eleven dol
lars" I told him.
only eleven dollars" he repeated
with a smile-the same smile | had
liked when | saw IL through glass
but which was even nicer close al
hand. Seems plenty OF money e
me. But still, it's a very pretty hat.
"It's a perfect duck!" | said.
He laughed and the laugh was ever
nicer than the smile. So l took the
hat out OF the window and turned
1t about and expatiated on Its per
fections.
Would you" he said-"er-woulC
you mind trying II on"
Not at ALL" | declared. quite thu
contrary"
don't think I've ever seen mysel
in anything that suited me bette
than that hat did.
ITS prettier on than on" he re
marked. as | turned my head thi
way and that for inspection.
I'll have IT,"
az N4.t.t % n -otI aNV thtalr the 1nIw
whoever she is. will be sure to lik
It."
Perhaps II was a little bold Of me
but | wanted to draw him out. An
succeeded.
1T is for"-he hesitated a secon
lit is for my wife" he continue
firmly. though blushing right throug
his tan.
So he was married. Somehow.
my mind. he hadn't the look Of
married man.
I'm sure II will suit her" I d.
clared. particularly If she is fair
with blue eyes"
don't know why | said this: 1
fact. | bit my tongue directly after.
But he didn't appear to resent
In the least.
Like yours, ne murmured aDSen
ly. Then waking up as IL were. b
added. Il don't know what color the
are-that is. | mean-I suppose It
be all right"
How odd!
He paid for II and. strange to sa
actually insisted on taking II awe
with him there and then. IL really
queer to see a nice-looking. we
dressed man carrying an only-too-o
yious lady's hat-box.
watched him down the street al
thought 10 myself. well. some wor
an s got a good husband. even IL
doesn't remember the color Of b
eyes,"
told the other salesladies abo
II. ard they agreed that Il was
pity there weren't more men OF tn
sort: and they hoped the hat won
suit her-meaning the wife-as tn
perhaps he would buy her anoth
when the hat was worn out.
shook my head. and said that. I
my part, | regarded the incident
closed. But II wasn't.
We closed al two on Saturda,
The second Saturday after ! had SC
the hat / thought | would take
Sixth Avenue car TO Nineteen