Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-11

nonon counter In the attention Of n.
why. how d'you do. Mira. po.,.--
Miss Ellis was most cordial IN, .e3
DID you get in town? The ds,',a.
baby! And both the little c,r,s -, ..
Ny! Aren't you tired out this ~. =
ernoonf Just set down here, Mr. D. ~
ter. You came in to do some ba,..' =
supposeT Jul
"Yes'm. I thought I'd get ma .,sm
girls fitted out with hats. tbon.s a y
pretty late TO be gettin' them, -
Her sunburnt face flushed H,s.
"Oh, we have some nice hats -
Mrs. Potter. though, Of courxs :.
stocks a little picked over. Shan
take you first? Oh. the Htte -.
Let's see What are their nars.s u
yes; Mary and Lucy. All right n.
have the very things
Miss Ellis helped their mother ma.
their bonnets in preparation for =.
ceremony of trying on. The utf,a -.
were frightened at first, but fbev -. -
dazed with Joy when they found Tia.
selves radiantly hated, one WITH H..
flowers and ribbons. the other v,,s
pink. '-
at last they knew them for fiat,
very own. The rubbers were sl,nrss
under their proudly lifted chins, and
it was Mrs. Potter's turn.
You can put the baby here.v M..
Ellis offered a cushioned armcb,,-
Poor little thing-it's all tired out-
and 1T" who was, in truth, Of fem.
mime gender and labeled "Alya Japa
was gently deposited, warm and rea
and sound asleep, on the calico cush.
ion.
Mrs. Potter brushed at her blsrs
dress and felt nervously at her blsck
hat 1t was very old, and the felt And
the ribbons were dusty and limp.
She put 1t on chair beside her ana
smoothed vainly at her rougheped
faded hair. Her face was lined and
weary, and her eyes, which were blus
and should have been pretty, wen
Redeemed from the sun and wind.
She stood passively while Miss Ellb
selected a hat and placed 1t on be,
head. 1t was large hat, with softly
dropping brim, with mounds Of chit
fon and big pink roses.
Mrs. Potter looked almost timidly
into the glass, and then she forgot that
she was stiff and tired from her ride
and that her face was dusty and her
hair stringy. She was gazing at the
mirrored reflection of the hat
"That certainly does look good on
you, Mrs. Potter" said Miss Ellis. who
was a milliner of business rather than
aesthetic principles.
"Oh. do you think SOP Mrs Pot
ter hesitated.
She reached up and felt nervously Of
a pink rose with her brown hand.
awkward in the black cotton mitt
well, I certainly do. Just look Of
them roses. And the amount Of pink
chiffon that's on that hat-it's sure the
hat for you. Mrs. Potter" Miss Ellis
went on encouragingly, but her Gus
toner was not listening to her at all
She was looking into the mirror at
something for which Miss Ellis had not
the gift of sight.
She saw a girls face. sweet and
pretty, with pink cheeks. and big blue
eyes. and golden brown hair. And
shading it was the wonderful bat Of
chiffon and roses.
The reflected face, which Miss Ellis
would have said was old looking and
very tired, flushed, and the eyes bright
ened and filed a little. Mrs. Pottef
with the glory of her vision upon her,
turned to the milliner.
Its like one / had the summer WI
and l was married" she said. ne
liked 1t. He said it just suited me-
The flush deepened. Il believe IN
take it If it's not too high and you
think"-
Mary and Lucy had recovered non
the awe of their new hats ana "els
playing hide and seek among the coul'
tiers. -
Mary ran around to where her MON
er stood. Mary was used to her m0ln
er in a chronically old blue calico SUI
bonnet or the black felt with the russ,
crumpled ribbon, but this! Mary W.
not known her mother fifteen yeai'
ago. and she did not understand
She looked a moment, puzzieo a-'
dismayed.
why. mamma| she said sio~iy =.
then gurgled In delighted apprec'al'-
of the joke. "a
"Oh. Lucyr' she cried gleefuiiy az
dragged her sister around wnele -
could see. Come and look at malnn~
Amt she funny in that pretty nat
Mrs. Potter turned suddenly again
the glass. III
-he light from a back winoo" =.
plaringly across her. she 81"
pink pillows of chiffon and the ~
and the soft white brim droop'ns
her tanned face. The glass pluiies
fore her. She could hardly tnin'
move for a minute. ,,,s
Then she reused herself ana 4.
the hat from her head. her roos' =.
gers caught in the soft chinon
set it down. -. ,odsy
"- guess I won't get my ma. W.. s,.
after all, Miss Ellis" she ss'e ~. sss
Come on. children; your pa u "
ing for u.s." .t III |
And she pinned on the ola pay