Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-03-13
THE HAT IN
THE WINDOW

dow to itself--a whole window with
only few of those distracting little
lace caps some ladies wear in the
morning placed around to finish off
the picture, rather than to display
themselves. 1t was pink with a great
bow of pink ribbon on one side and a
huge and bewitchingly curved brim
on all sides. And it was as fresh and
as eXquisitely tinted as if it were a
big ripe fruit on it's stem.
Even men passing by stopped to
look at it. Some of them, too, prob
ably framed particular face beneath
the broad tilted brim. and passed on
with smile for the bewitching vision.
But the passersby of the other sex! 1t
was for them the picture was made.
One very great lady coming out of
the store on her way to her carriage
caught sight of it and went back. But
she didn't buy it, thank Heaven!
Imagine that dream of pink young
loveliness shadowing any such rouge
freshened, powder-softened world
hardened visage as that very great
lady's with its keen hard eyes and it's
thin tight lips. NO madam, not all
the skill OF the fairy-hngered Agnes
can give you the right to wear that
coronet of maidenhood. What
groteSque figurG you would cut if you
| did. How | should love to see you
try it. How discreetly | would smile
behind your back, how wittily |
would draw Mrs. So-and-Sos atten-
ton to you. But try it, madam; it
might shame you INTO visiting the son
you have not seen since your second
marriage. That wa ten years ago.
He is an undergraduate now But no,
you are too wise. Home, James,"
Hold, madam, before you go, let me
show you those lace caps. Come now,
madam; lay aside the hair wash for
a season, let the gray at the roots
creep on and up; let few of those,
oh SO badly hidden wrinkles peep out
and don one of these, the finest Mech
M. But no, you nave gone Home?
How dare you call any place home,
you wretched, wrnKled, wizened old
woman! Wnat AN air. you have!
And for what reason? None. The
Sacred Apes OF benares, some one
called you and your ike. Well named
thou Gloomy Teuton!
All, but surely here comes the right
ful owner. "Timid and stepping
fast" from that very neat electric at
the curb, young Miss Bowyer, 19 and
two years out" in society She, too,
looks up at the window and-merci-
full Heavens-she signs. What! Is
there anything on EARN you can't have
if you really want it?
Down past the window they come
slowly stepping W tn uownoast eyes
and amid all the sparkle of silk and
broadcloth and silver and god and
stamped leather and waving feathers
What contrast is made by their
black robes and hoods and white neck
erchiefs.
Surely not for these two sisters of
st. Mary's could the window have a
message? No kin are they to the very
great lady or poor little Miss Bowyer.
Perhaps something they have in COM
mon with Mag and Lou but the others
never.
And yet-it was the crowd that first
drew her eyes-drew them away from
the monotonously regular black sur
lace OF the pavement whence they
should never wander. And there above
the heads of the crowd shone out
tue Arsl laQldnce OF the milnners in
! splratlOn,
When Sister ThereSe Sister
Therese was thirty years the senior
missed Sister Margaret from her side
she found her two feet ayay staring
at the window, 100. L was moment
only, the length OF time it taxes to go
two feet
loud but insisuent, and so the touch
upon her arm.
Sister Margaret turned quickly,
flushinl rurlously under lue whLe and
Dlack mood.
When the window was safely
passed, Sister Therese looked down
and under the hood The flush was
still there and there came to her
ears the soft sibilant of sigh.
"Oh, Sister Therese.' said Sister
Margaret.
But who knows whether Sister
Therese should not have sighed also
and said "Oh, Sister Margaret
What were her eyes doing before she
found Sister Margaret shining?
Well, perhaps so. Else why did
Father Ambrose receive next day two
confessions OF the identical sin and
impose two penances o. identical light
ness-for Father Ambrose is kind
man, and besides he buys new SOU
tame himself every now and then.
And as for the hat! Why, it wasn't
real hat after ALL Only an affair ol
ribbons and viii twisted and tied tc
show what may next year. So yol
could sigh for it and sin for it and be
very unhappy about it, but If yot
touched it, it would fall in pieces be
meath your fingers.
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