The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-08

don't want her to take Clara's place
in the workrooms
NO, l don't think that Will pc nee
essary. She can stay here in the office
with me and simply hand he. idea on
to Clara for execution. II she made
that hat with the cherries we could
double our business in SIX months
That hats a masterpiece III you saw
woman at Piping Rock or at the
Belmont track wearing it you'd get
Clara to have the girls copying it fast
enough. 1t is just because you aren
used to seeing an original hat on girl
! in Miss DAVIS position that you were
amused by it, L am convinced that
she didn't make it,
who did, them
81 don't know. but 1 am going to
ask her.
1t was an hour later when Clara
had returned from luncheon and she
and her husband and Margaret Daw
were closeted with Tom Tomson in
his private office. From the tensity
of the atmosphere 1t was apparent
that some sort of surprise was in store
We'll. now we are here. what is the
news?" the younger Tomson began.
That Miss Daw has consented to
marry me. for one thing" beamed
Tom. Il guess it is no surprise that
l wanted her to-and now L am going
! to get her to tell us who made that
| cherry hat. She has never told me.
have only guessed
Margaret reached to her desk where
the much maligned piece of millinery
was lying. Holding it caressingly in her
hand she turned it over. and there re-
vealed the name that made Bob and
| Clara start back with surprise. 1t was
| the name of the greatest of Partisan
| milliners.
Now I will tell you my little story"
/ Margaret explained. II came here
with purpose. 1 have studied cos
tune designing for several years in
( this country and abroad. A few
| months ago / Joined forces with a
| group of students and designers. who
were of the opinion that the Ameri-
can manufacturer and the American
public chung to Paris-designed hats
and garments merely for the name. L
wanted to find out if we were right. L
managed to get that cherry hat and a
| few others thru Paris in spite of the
! war. This one was regarded as BIS
masterpiece. I wore it without the
accessories that would lead you to be-
lieve it was an extra ordinary hat. And
for weeks I, thought 1 had proved my
point. 1 used to hear you laughing
about IT. Then Tom-who has the
reputation of knowing more about the
American demand for hats than any
one else in the trade-began to sus-
pect that Ii was a masterpiece. Not
long afterward one or two of the buy
ers from the exclusive shops noticed
it and became interested. So, you
see, have not proved my theory. But
it doesn't really matter
| NO" Tom said, taking up the
thread of the explanation, because
she isn't going back to her artist
friends any more. She has consented.
even when we are married. to be the
court of appeals on all matters of hat
designing"
Clara with infinite tenderness. was
now examining the cherry hat, peer
ing with the air of a connoisseur into
II every Granny of the creation that had
once caused her so much amusement.
touching gingerly the cherries that
once had been the source of so much
merriment-
J well. anyway. Tom." she said, 81
knew there was something funny
about the hat the first time 1 saw
1t. 1 guess you remember that L was
the first one to attract. your attention
to it, wasn't I?''-tCopyriyht, 1917. by
the Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)