Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1914-02-25
BARHABY LOST MATCH
PERSUASIVE STRANGER WENT
AWAY WITH NEW HAT.
And the Lesser is Firmly Convinced
That the Aforesaid Stranger Had
NO Real Regard for the
Strict Truth.

BarnQby bought new nat aud paiu
$3.50 for H. u was a black derby,
size 7lk. and although it was not a
particularly dno hat. it was becoming
and Barnaby expected TO set q good
deal Of wear out Of It.
Two days later be lost It. The wind
blew it away just as the car on which
Barnaby was homeward bound passed
q downtown street Barnaby was rid
inc OH the rear platform. He jumped
on the car and gave chase with sur
prising agllity The wind, however
was bnsker than he. and he ran half
block, with the hat now out Of sieht,
now in, before catching up with &c.
Finally he came within reaching dis
lance and stopped to grab The rolling
derby. but before he could lay hands
on it another man ran up from the
opposite direction and caught t. The
other man also was bareheadcd.
By JoYe. be said, breathlesaly IL
( that wasn't a stin chase
1T certainly was" Barnaby assent
I ca. I'm much Obliged to you for rum
t'ning out and stopping the hat for me"
The other man stepped back aud
clapped the derby on his own head
We'll" be said "if you haven't
got nerve ] didn't stop 1t for you,
I j stopped st for myself The hat is
mine"
Barnaby followed him up threaten
lngly
"Now see here" he growled 4
am not in q mood for any fooling
] want my hat
But it isn't yours" the other man
persisted
IT IS mine" said Barnaby. 1t
blew off my head from one Of those
cars"
The other man kept his temper ad-
mirably
"My dear cir" be said. 4 ann sorry
20 contradict YOU, but I can prove
that lt blew off my head just as ]
came out of that building around the
corner"
impossible said Barnaby 1T is
mine J paid $3.50 for it,
The cold wind that rufied Bornaby'a
uncovered hair did not tend 90 allav
his wrathful fever. and his reply mace
up In yigor what it lacked IN elegance.
The other man grew serious
Say" he said y believe YOU really
do think this hat is yours Unforat-
nately, / am as firmly convinced Aat
( il Is mine, and since one OF us has got
TO give in and 20 home with his top
knot exposed to the elements let's
match pennies to find out which L
\ shall be"
They matched for H. TO the infinite
I satisfaction OF several small boys who
/ had been drawn thI,hor by the noiay
argument. The other man won the
4 hat
= hate like the mischief to see YOU
hang around here bareheadcd he
said sympaihedcaliy but your own
I hat is surely somewhere in the neigh
borhood Perhaps these boys can help
you find t."
Thanks" said Barnaby you are
very kind ] suppose you are acting
on the level, but ! could have sworn
that hat belonged TO me"
A few minutes after the man had
gone on they found the other hat a
messenger hoy picked It up in door
way. where il had been lodged by the
wind
Barnaby took the battered headgear
and looked Il over sorrowfully. 10
was a very dilapidated hat The
crown was dented and rusty with age,
the rim was bent but the size was
~.
guess he lied 20 you, didn't he.
mistor?" the boy chuckled
an looks that way said Barnaby
But 1t is one way to get a new
hat" the boy pursued
1T certainly is, said Barnaby.