The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-09-27
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"a =, MISS CHERRY HAT - -
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BY JANE OSBORN.

known to customers as Mile. Clarice in
spite Of her marriage to the younger
member Of the firm OK Tomson Broth
ers-had repeated her Interrogation for
the third time that Tom Tomson, her
brother-in-law, looked up from his desk
and grunted negative.
| And lust then the other Mr.. Tom
son--Bob Tomson, Clara's husband
came into his brothers. office where his
wife was waiting to go to luncheon
with him, and before she had time to
put her question to him he had made
| that question unnecessary.
"Say, where did you get the girl with
the cherry hat?" he laughed and then
Slipping into the slang current among
| the girls who worked in the millinery
workrooms of which his wife still
| chose to be in charge he added:
Some hat, that. Did the kid make it
| herself?"
"You don't suppose she could have
bought it, do you? I guess there was a
fire sale on cherries at the five and ten
cent store out in Podunk just before
she made her way to the city. You
wouldn't have to be told that she came
from the country. But I'm not going
to let the girls tease her. She seems
like nice sort and it's her first job"
The elder Mr.. Tpmson saw the girl
little Margaret Daw, the young ap-
prentice-juSt as she stood at her lock-
er, and before she had taken off her
much-discussed headgear he had q
chance to look and to smile. Clara andN
his younger brother found considerable
time to cast bantering remarks about
"Miss Cherry Hat" as they called her.
Tom was too much preoccupled to join
them.
To Tom Johnson hats were what
tons of coal are to big mine operators,
or "best sellers" to the publisher, or
magnetic stars to theatrical managers.
He could no more have designed hat
than he could have designed yacht
no more than the mine operator could
have mined coal or the theatrical man
ager could have taken leading role.
But he knew, or thought he knew, good
hats when he saw them. There was a
look of understanding among the girls
in the workrooms when he had "Miss
Cherry Hat" transferred from the
workrooms to his own office.
1t was one day a few weeks after
Margaret Daw had started work at
Tomson's that the younger member of
the company came to his brother in a
serious mood and began to talk. about
the girl.
81 don't want to butt into your pri-
vate affairs" he said, "but if you real
ly want to be seen with that little
country girl, can't you induce her to
wear a regular hat? Haven't you ever
spoken to her about that cherry
thingW
NO" answered Tom, 81 haven't, and
perhaps the reason l haven't is because
we have had too many other things to
talk about. Miss Daw Is an extremely
charming and capable young woman"
ooh. that's the way the wind blows,
is it?" returned the brother. swell, |
she does seem nice enough girl. But,
honestly, Tom, couldn't you do some
thing about her hat?"
"She knows her business" interrupt
ed Tom. "That Miss Daw has got some
ideas that are going to make things
hum"
"You don't mean that she knows any
thing about hats! A girl that would
wear that--lt's wonder you don't
want her to take Clara's place in the
workrooms."
mo, don't think that will be neces-
sary, She can stay here in the office
with me and simply hand her idea on
to Clara for execution"
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.
"Well, 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.
81 guess it is no surprise that l wanted
her to-and now / 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 1t caressingly m her
hand she turned 1t 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
mllliners.
"Now | will tell you my little story"
Margaret explained. 81 came here with
purpose. have studied costume de-
signing for several years in this coun-
try and abroad. A few months ago |
joined forces with a group of students
and designers who were of the opinion
that the American manufacturer and
the American public cling to Paris-de-
signed hats and garments merely for
tho name. / wanted to find out If we
were right. / managed to get that
cherry hat and few others through
Paris In spite of the war. SO, you see,
/ have not proved my theory. But 1t
doesn't really matter"
mo" Tom said, taking up the thread
of the explanation, because sine isn't
going back to her artist friends any
more She has consented, even when
we are married, to be the court of APP
peGls on all matters of hat Designing"