The log cabin Democrat., 1911-06-22
She Can Help Wondering

"Bess, my dear! Do you know ] could hardly wait for morning to came so I could run over and talk to you. I didn't sleep a wink all night No, no one is sick. but I've had the most awful experience! You needn't try to guess, for you couldn't in a thousand years"
 Well" she proceeded, Ito begin at the beginning, my aunt, who is head milliner at Birney's, copied Paris hat for me. A Paris hat, l said Yes and it's a beauty, too! The model was $50 and mine is just as pretty
 Then l think I've told you about Freds cousin Louise that he thinks is so clever and charming Yes, she is, really. They are own cousins; their mothers were sisters But. Of course, Louise's being brought up SC far away and not meeting Fred till they were grown does make a differ. ence. Well, l went over to see her yesterday afternoon and she raved over my hat, called it perfect dream and tried it on and looked stunning in it. Yes she's very pretty and she has awfully sweet ways.
 You remember how 1t rained yes terday about half past four? Oh, yes. you must remember; a nice, soft rain that came down so gently you could hardly hear it. Well, was just start ing from Louise's to Aunt Ruths and Louise insisted that I should never wear that beautiful hat out in the rain The rain was coming straight down and was so soft that I thought an um. brella would be all the protection needed, and, anyway, Aunt Ruth's isn't so very far from Louise's. Why, l was going to Aunt Ruth's to dinner.
 Well, Louise mourned so ever my lovely hat being dragged through the wet that she finally got me worked up, too, and then she hauled out on old morning hat of hers with quills on 1t and insisted that I wear 1t. She was so sweet about 1t that I just had to take her hat
 What? No, nothing happened to her hat; you guessed wrong, young lady. This is my story and if you want to hear it you let me tell it
 Let's see, where was I? Oh, yes, just starting for Aunt Ruth's. Well, Fred came in after dinner and said he'd called up our house and mother told him I was at Aunt Ruth's and he explained that he'd come to invite me to go to the theater
 "Oh, I knew 1t was horrid night and told him so but he said he was blue and cross and nice, cheerful show would make us forget the weatH CT. Well. my dear. when I went up stairs to get ready remembered tha. I'd have to wear Louises hat and al most tainted! The only consolation was that I knew the weather would never hu1t .t. but actually when looked at myself in the glass and thought of my own lovely hat want. ed to stop and cry.
 When I went downstairs I asked Fred if be didn't think he'd better go around to the back door and call sor me, but he just laughed. Well, that's sweet of you to say so. but you haven't seen me in that awful hat!
 We were sort of late getting to the theater and just melted into my seat and got my hat oil in a hurry. Yes, 1t was a pretty good play, and when the curtain went down on the first act I had just about forgotten the weath- CT and that horrid hat and Fred had cheered up and we were having a lovely time.
 Yes, this is where the blow fell! l was looking around at the boxes and I spied Louise in the right-hand stage box with the handsomest-look- ing crowd you ever saw, and. my dear, she was wearing my precious hat.
 Well. maybe you think 1t is funny, but If it had been your hat she was wearing and you were trying to cover an awful quill thing with a program and handkerchief. you wouldn't see so much fun in 1t.
 'I choked right in the middle of sentence and got so red that Fred thought I'd stuck myself with a hat pin.
 Tell him, my dear! You know per fectly well he'd have thought I was jealous cat, And. anyway, you don't know how gorgeous Louise looked in that hat,
 What? No, he didn't see her and I never said a word I just sat and waited until I could put Louise's quill affair on my head and sneak home
 Supper? In that hat? We'll, l should say not! But just know that Louise and her crowd went some where and that Louise looked perfect ly stunning-in my hat.
 "She promised yesterday afternoon to bring my hat home this afternoon when she went driving, and I know should just die If had to meet her.
 No, you wouldn't either say any thing to her about wearing the hat, because she'd tell Fred. and you know perfectly we'll man would never un. derstand Why. those men wear each others ties and things and never care a hft