Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-16
THE EVENING STORY.
Merely a Hat.
Copyright. 1913. by W. Werner. }

Copyright. 1918. by ". werner.l
Hulda Keith worked in the largest.
best equipped and most popular store In
town. 1t catered to the wealthy In all
matters. especially in the matter Of hats.
The head milliner. who was also buyer,
had knack for the business. She was
her own chief advertisement. She sold
many hats simply by wearing her own be-
comingly. She sold many more hats by
fitting out the pretty girls in the store
with proper headgear. They We're mostly
girls who lived at home and had their
money to dress on. But Hulda Keith
boarded and she had very little money
with which to buy hats
Although she loved hats and all pretty
things Huida did not change her hat
when the first spring millinery began 10
appear In the windows of the store. The
other giris made a frantic rush to grab
their choice, regardless o. what 1t might
cost. They preened themselves In their
ga new straws. while Hulda continued 10
Wear her black felt
'Hulda Keith, aren't YOU ever gong
to get a new hat?". Maud Simpson asked,
Indignantly. You look fright IN that
one. And frights have way OF dlsap-
Mr.. McClaskey likes girl to look nice
IL she can't or won't he finds somebody
that will
Hulda said nothing. What was there
to say? She wanted a new hat ana was
saving money for it just as fast as she
could. She had been brought up with an
old-fashioned horror of getting In debt.
But she wondered II Mr.. McClaskey dld
discharge her what she would find TO 90
next 1t came to her that something
more than her own girlish longing Tor
beauty depended upon a new hat she
must have it somehow.
Hulda took the only means she knew
to swell her hat fund. She. went with
out her lunch for a whole week. she
walgked the whole way even when II
rained. And on Saturday night she got
her hat As she hurried out of the store
she heard Maud Simpson say to waiter
Reese:
My goodness, Hulda Keith's got her
spring hat at last. I'd like to have seen
what she bought
Hulda's face burned with shame and
hurt. Maud Simpson was one OF the
prettiest girls in the store, and she was
always dressed beautifully. She had no
living expenses to pay and all the money
she earned went to buy personal adorn-
ment. Considering Maud's ability to at
tract. it was no wonder that Walter Reese
should be drawn to her. But 1T was a
wonder that Maud should be drawn to
him. for he was country through and
through, as the girls said-big and red
haired with boyish way of bluSh1ng at
nothing. He had come to the store since
Hulda and already had been promoted
twice. 1t was beginning to occasion some
awe that he could leap ahead so fast. No
knowing where he would CO. especially
real friend of him.
From the day of his entrance into store
life Hulda had seen that he was not like
the other men there. From them she
noticed her particularly. Nobody stops
to admire a daisy when there are red
roses all about. Especially a daisy in a
bad hat. Hats were ofIimmense s1gnifi-
canoe at the store, but Walter Reese
seemed not to have learned that fact yet.
In consequence he was quite nice to
Hulda in her old hat. But when the store
dance was held he took Maud Simpson.
Hulda had not gone at all. She could not
dance, and, moreover, she had nothing
nice enough to wear. There was, she
knew, no possible chance of her ever
winning more than friendly look from
Walter Reese But even friendly look
Is better than nothing. just as any sort
of food is acceptable when one is starving
to death. Hulda felt that look following
! her now, half in pity. half in wonderment.
as she fled out into the night with the
big hatbag cutched lightly in her hand.
She walked home and arrived tired to
exhaustion. She climbed up to her stuffy
little back room. Tears came and brought
their own relief and a headache for
which tea was the only panacea. Hulda
that she felt so much better that she de.
cided to try on her hat.
Even in the wrinkled green glass Of the
cheap combination bureau and wash.
stand she could see that 1t transformed
her. The golden straw brought out all
the shell tints in he cheeks and showed
up her eyes like violets; the broad, brown!
velvet bow melted into the dusk of her
hair. She drew deep breath and smiled.
ooh. you pretty, pretty hat" Hulda
crooned. 'Im so glad I've got you"
She bent and kissed the brown velvet.
bed she was so happy that she forgot her
aching feet and sore muscles, and so
went to sleep at once.
She woke to find the day most glorious.
A chime of nearby bells was striking out
an old tune. 1t was Sunday and Hulda
had been brought up to go to church.
This morning she was particularly glad
to go. She had her new hat. Besides,
Walter Reese would be there. They
happened to attend the same church.
Hulda ate her breakfast in a furry.
She sang as she dressed. The new hat
was even more becoming than it had
been last night. Sleep had taken the
lines and shadows Of WEAKNESS out of
her face.
Walter Reese was already in church
when she entered. A few moments later
an usher brought in Maud Simpson and
gave her a seat just across the aisle from
Hulda- She did not look at Hulda or
give Hulda chance to bow to her. She
had or her most chin lifted air and she
kept her eyes direct on the pulpit Hulda
however. could not help looking at Maud
For Maud was in black from head To
foot-the kind of black that turns a blond
girl into gold and mother of pearl. Never
never had she looked so charming. But
she was like big cloud in the sky for