The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1914-03-01
BARNABY LOST MATCH
PERSUASIVE STRANGER WENT
AWAY WITH NEW HAT.
And the Loser 10 Firmly Convinced
T. That the Afore said Stranger Had
No Real Regard for tho
Strict Truth.

: Barnaby bought new hat and palu
$3.50 for IL II Was black DERBY
size rs. and although II Was not
partic ultxly fine hat, II Was becoming
and bainaby expected TO get soou
deal OF wear out or II.
Two days later he lost il. The wino
blew 1t away just as the car on when
Bsrnaby was homeward bound passed
q downtown street. Barnaby was rlo'
ing on the rear platform. He jumped
on the car. and gave chase win sur
prising agility The wind, however,
was brisker than he. and he ran nan
a block. with the hat now out OF sight,
now in. before catching up with IT,
Finally he came within reaching DIS
lance and stopped TO graf the roliihe
derby, but before he could lay hahds
on IL another man ran up from the
opposite direction and caught II. Inc
other man also was bareheaded.
by Joye," he said, breathlessiy, II
| that wasn't q stiff chase"
1T certainly was" Barnaby assent
ed. I'm much obliged to you for run
ming out and stopping the hat for me-
The other man stepped back and
clapped the derby on his own head.
Well" he said. If you haven't
| got nerve. didn't stop it for you;
I stopped il for myself. The hat Is
mine"
Barnaby followed him up threaten.
ingly.
Snow. see here" he growled, y
| am not in a mood for any fooling
want my hat"
But 1t isn't yours the other man
persisted.
1T is mine" said Rarnaby. II
blew off my head from one Of those
cars"
The other man kept his temper ad-
mirably.
MY dear SIR" he said. Il am sorry
to contradict you, but | can prove
that il blew off my head just as ]
came out of that building around the
corner"
Impossible" said Barnaby. 1T is
| mine. | paid S2.50 for IL.
The cold wind that ruffed Barnaby's
uncovered hair did not tend to allay
his wrathful fever and his reply made
UP In yigor what il lacked In elegance.
The other man grew serious.
Say ne said, Il believe you really
DO think this hat is yours. Unfortu-
nately, | SIN as firmly convinced that
It is mine, and since one of US has got
to give in and go home with his top
knot exposed to the elements let's
match pennies to find out which it
shall be-"
They matched for It, to the infinite
satisfaction or several small boys, who
had been drawn thither by the noisy
argument. The other man won the
hat
Il hate like the mischief to see you
hang around here bareheaded," he
said sympathetically but your own
hat & surely somewhere In the neigh,
Jolhood. Perhaps these boys can help
yaa hnd II.
Thanks" said Barnaby. you arc
very kind. suppose you are actins
on the level. but l could have sworI
that hat belonged 20 me
A few minutes after the man haC
gone on thee found toe other hat d
messenger boz picked 1t up III door
way, where ii had been lodged by the
wind.
Barnaby took the battered headgea,
and Looked 1t over sorrowfully II
was very dilapidated hat. The
crown was derted and rusty with age
!, the rim was bent. but the size was
71s.
Il guess he lied to you. didn't he
mister" the boy chuckled.
1T looks that way" said Barnaby.
But II is one way to get a nev
Sat-" the boy pursued.