The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-04-26
TEN MINUTES
Win THE
Short Story
Writers
Two Girls and a Hat
tey shIela Mahon

the front pew Yes sure enough
Jean Forsigh Haunted new hat.
a u 0st becoming eonfection If black
Use and yiolets, ennningly arranged
70 suit the pale gold hair and deli
case fairness OF the wearer. For
the time being Claire's peace oi mind
was gone She forgot that she was
IN church, SO absorbed was she III
the fascinating object She made d
pretty picture In her own Mttle, we'll
worn felt toque perched iauntlly
amid her black looks, the red wings
at the side yylng touch Of color
which harmOnized with her lips, the
clear nallor Of her face, and the
perfect contour OF check and chin, as
she gazed straight ahead. On the or.
| n0site side OF tho aisle sat John d.
Arcy, his eyes on d level with Jeans
tantallzlng creation, Claire stole a
glance az him and was surprised to
meet his gaze So Jeans now glory
had not power to rivet his atten.
tion, A thrill Of pleasure ran
through her and she buried her face
IN her big granny mutf 70 hide her
bushes An answering thrill reveal.
ed itself on the young mans face,
which, he too, Tried to hide by fix.
Ing his gaze On the preacher during
tho rest Of the service.
In this remote country settlement
the church was small and tie con
gregation smaller In bad weather
the latter fact was more apparent
The old people did not care to brave
the clements the younger folk,
equally determined not to miss the
one mild excitement of the week oil
seeing and being seen, came, some
through pety others to vary the mo-
notony OF their placid lives. The
mornings text vas 'VanitS Of Van
tiles, The preacher portrayed in
strong language to what depth Of in.
| iquity the love of dress and fine
living brought poor human nature.
There were many accusing glanees
not unmiXed with satisfaction in Jean
Forsighs direction. or these the fair
delinquent seemed totally uneonsci-
Gus. Her blue eyes were fixed on
tho preacher. and her head coquetish-
ly raised, displayed the beauties Of
the hat al d correct angie 10 the
whole congregation.
Claire listened absently She
would given much Tor just such a
hat It was all very we'll to preach
but new hats were rare In the ABB
bott neighborhood Her father was
strainIng ways and means TO pay off
a mortgage on the home. and the
most rigid economy was practiced
to further This important end. Such
/ frivolities as b did not count as
necessities 1t w.ss ali very we'll for
Jean Forsigh, who came from the
city and who was on visit to the
land agent-an important individual
IN the settlement to dress as She
pleased, but other people must cut
their coats according to their cloth.
And Claire sighed.
did YOU ever listen to such ser
mon? Ny, ! never enjoyed anything
SO nuch ! guess some people Went
homo with a bee in their bonnet
4 cried MISS Sarah Appleby, the gossip
monger Of the parish, as she walked
hope with Claire after attending q
Young peoples meeting held in the
rectory after the service We'll
never" she calculated as ner eyes
caught sight Of two figures some dis.
tance ahead NJ IT'S not Jean For.
Sigh and John Darcy guess that
| viii be a match. Her thin nose
was Qulvering with curiosity and her
spectacles were gutterlng in the sun
light as sne gave Claire a piercing
glance.
You surprise me said the latter
bgaVely though her face flushed aud
She held up her muff IN a sudden dc
sire TO shield II from the spinsters
inanisitlRc scrutiny. She IS a very
pretty girl Don't sou think so2"
Yes answered Miss Appleby,
grusingy But for my part, like
lark hair best Those city girls are
al made up Give nae nature" she
glanced almMingly az Claire's black
locks which floated around her face
IN curly little tcndrils giving SOFT
wilebefy ol expression Wrcsltihly. fas
cinaing Ny this stormy weather
agrees with you The woman cried
adnliyinglY as u gust Of wind almost
took the Two OF them off their feet,
/ "lt makes nle feel 40 draggled and
untldy Her cape had blown over
hcr head and She was trying yainly
20 disentangle herself Claire good
natnredly helped TO put the offending
garment IN place.
n dom know what he sees in
her continued her tormenter. dur
ing the comparative eaim that follow.
thought uncc thar he was your beau,
cd aii unusually strong blast Il
But men are kiltlceastle You uey
cr know whom you have thnm' She
| laughed disagrccabiy
| They we're nearing d strep incIiut
as She spoke "A he hpttum Of This
| ran muddy stream which FROM fe
cent rains WAS swollen "a twice II
nsaa size III prdmary Weather Y
Was epalll rrossed stone plueed III
| the center belng the primitive mode
| Lands sake, bow shalt .ve gei
| acfoKa2 She lifted up her hands II
iGoek disniaY
s. gncss he'll have To carry hur,
she glanced Significantly at the twC
figures III trent
Ciaife glanced too, and involuntar
! ily her face hardened Jean Forsigl
III childish way was araspine lohl
lDArcy by the cpa sleeve. 1hl
breeze carried her sce so that he
words could be distinctly hears
above the storu. oh please lct Nj
go back I could never cross Shi
turned lovely, Bcseechlng Eace u
wards him
\. All Right said the young mau
calamity ''ls wiu be longnr Way.
The pair turned baek mi came FAC