Evening star., 1916-01-02

emerged from a place full of clickety
typewriters, fussy gentlemen and
gigSly girls. Her head felt buZzy, her
brain seemed TO he trying to escape
through her temples. and somebody
must have put stones in her shoes
when she wasn't looking.
She walked down Main street look
ing neither to right nor left. At the
corner drug store a large young man
rushed by her, glanced back and hur-
ried with mighty strides on ahead of
her. The little blond girl did not no.
tice him.
After what seemed an eternity she
reached r J. Gugenheim's. Tearfully
she raised her eyes to the show win
dow. TheE remained there, fixed in a
vacant. fascinated stare. in the CEN
ter of the window was empty ped
estal For several moments she stood
in kind Of daze. Then a wave of
anger and resentment flooded her
through and through. Her hands
clenched ferceIy. Who. who had
dared to buy her hat? On, she
choked savagely, "it isn't fair, After
IL was made specially for me ana I've
lived on soda crackers for a week."
Here the lump in her throat threat
ened to strangle her. IF | ever meet
the mean. mean old thing that bought
it I'll tear the old feathers off and put
her eyes out with them. Tn--'
In the mirror, just in the spot where
hat had been reflected, there appeared
suddenly the head and shoulders of d
very big young man. He was looking
down at the top of the little blond
girls head.
The eyes of the little blond girl grew
f. full of wonder. The expression on the
face was far from that of a man who
is looking on that of which he is
ashamed. Indeed. il was a very wor-
shipful expression
She turned SLOWLY ewes rect cd
| bashfully upon the sidewalk Then
very slowly they travelled up the
muscular frame of the big young man
as far as big brown hand. At that
point her gaze bumped straight into
large green paper bag with "R. J.
Gugenheim' printed upon it in bold
letters.
Don't you wish you knew what il
was?" he queried ioyfully. The blue
nat wagged jerkily from side to side.
"oh. come now, you know that pretty
noodle Of yours is just aching with
wi'h Il little more courage. BILLY.
Ina not curious. You know I'm not.
What. do you suppose care what
you've got in your old bag. You know
anyway. and OF course, I'll look at it
just to please you"
The big young erinned. IT'S
very kind of you, ma'am. If you
would be so condescending as to gaze
within and admire my excellent taste
, ia sure be much obliged.
Tlmidly she untwisted the top Of the
bag and peeped within. For "A minute
sne ielt that she simply must faint.
"Oh. Eilly," she sasped, Its the hat"
sure it's the hat Put her on"
/ The big Young man pulled cIumsily at
/ the nat pin in the best blue hat and
happily disrsgardlng the amused
chances OF the passers-Ly. crowned
| he oil OF
| white hat.
The little blond girl siggled nervous
~ Biily, you mustn't, you mustn't"
she whispered. 1T isn't proper for YOU
to buy me hat. You know it isn't"
| on, mats all right, kid. it's CON
| sid"red good form for a man to buy
nat Tor his "ife, isn't IT,
I The big young man could see ONLY
the top oc the blue feathers There
came a sudden choking sound from
| beneath the hat
what's the matter, little girl, don't
! you love me enough to be that :"
| There came another sob ..Y-yes"
she chohed. But ii thought YOU
were ashamed of me and-and---''
The big young man squeezed both
Ashamed Of YOU he calculated
| Yes, of my hat You looked
at ME so so funny last SATURDAY.
night. Anyway, yoU wouldn't have got
rue this one if you hadn't beer
ashamed OF that She crushed The
, blue hat desperately between her 1iu-
gers.
There was moment Of completc
; silcnce. Then the shoulders of the big
Young man began to shake violently
He laughed until the little blond girl
became worried. and pinched him
timidly on the arm. The face OF the
Say. KID" he said. IF you don't
know that you look like an angel
from heaven in anything from a poke
bonnet to a dust cap, you'd better
why, you'd better have me around all
the time to remind YOU.
l "All--sll right. Billy Her hand
rested contentedIy on the gray coat
i sleeve. billy" she whispered shyly,
Il want to tell you something"
| The big young man bent his head.
his eyes alight with expectancy. What
Is II. dearest?"
BILLY. / Think think I'm hungry"
/, (THE END.)