Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-12
The Daily
Short Story
THE PICTURE HAT
By CeciIle Langdon.


port Of delight, the ambition of my
life at last! 1t almost made me
weep when I saw Abe KoZern start
out ON his trip-fine sample cases,
new suit, diamond pin, best hotels,
Pullman sleeper, automobile TO
visit his customers. Oh! All it is
the business!"
Eyes, Isaac" replied the shrewd-
faced father, "but you don't start
out that way, but cheap and modest
until you have deponstrated your
ability to sell goods. Now this will
be a special trip. have managed
to buy. cheap one hundred fine pic
ture hats. They are last years
stock delayed in shipment, but you
must find customers who don't know
the difference. Seer" And skee-
sicksy Isaac winked knowingly.
you are to sell them for twelve
dollars apiece, but not to the trade,
for they will know they are last
years goods"
Leave it to me, father" blinked
and chuckIed the ambitious son.
IF they don't go fast at the big
price," continued old Jacob, try
poorer customers at cheaper rates
we must be kind to the poor, my
SOM" and in high feather, with d
sample hat in a neat inoffensiye
looking case, Isaac started forth on
his first commercial adventure
forthwith.
Isaac was clever, specious,
tricky. He picked out the some
what way-back town of Lydston as
a fair point of assault. Now, in
Lydston, pretty as a picture, half
in love with soldier boy, and like
ly to become wholly so, was Ina
Durand. In the parlor OF the little
home Isaac appeared one forenoon.
He had a lively story to teIl-a
few special latest design Paris hats
mad come the way of the great bust
ness house he represented. It was
his purpose to sell only one at each
town. He had understood that Miss
Durand was at the head of the elite
of LydstOn and all! behold and ne
produced the hat. 1t really was
very handsome, and he Induced Ina
toitry it on, and it became her as
any old hat would, this jewel of
beauty and grace! Ina coveted that
hat, but her eye fell upon letter
she had written and she sighed, but
submissively, and said:
1 am just using the last of my
pin money for a special purpose"
and after vast amount of persua-
sion Isaac let go Of this prospec-
tive victim, but proceeded to visit
other horaes with the same plaus-
1ble story. In fact, by nightfail the
industrious envy of LOb-Lots Zeider
had sold II hats, all the same, to as
many of the feminine benton OF
LydstOn, each one feeling that she
would bloom grandly to the envy
Of her less fortunate sisters the fol-
lowing Sunday. Then Isaac went
among the families living at the In
dustrial edge OF Lydston and
off a bakers dozen OF
the hats at a lower price.
Viola Marsh, the closest friend of
Ina, calling upon her next day,
found her trimming up her old hat.
Ina WAS intensely human and had
sighed many times AT a thought OF
the beauteous Partisan creation she
had been compelled to pass by. She
up, however, as she said
to the sister of Victor Marsh, in
camp 90 miles distant:
4 have ordered the birthday sur
prise for Victor There's a foun-
tain, and oh! such an exquisite cut
it-sOap, cartridges, automatic
brush, and all that. 1t took
all of my poor little twelve dollars,
but l am so glad to help for the
comfort of Uncle Sans soldier
boy"
For one Of them in particular,
Ell, Ina" rallied Viola, and Ina
0lushed the color of a peony and
iuttered like timid bird.
Isaac Zeider, chuckling, grinned, !
exultant, returned to the city home
70 be greeted with open arms and
l warm welcome by his proud and
grateful father.
''All the hats shipped, father?"
asked the buoyant-spirited son.
&C. o. D., and the money all in. |
Isaac, you are a success. and I shall |
start you out on your next trip in |
grand style"
Lydston had a sensation the fol-
owing Sunday morning. Eleven
aides of fashion, double that num- !
Der Of more humble representatives
rom the poorer quarters, appeared |
IN the streets with the famous Pa
-isian picture hat sold to only one |
customer in a town" The local |
nilliner retired the imported Gre
.tion by showing a picture of the /
anne in catalogues a year old.
And Ina, in her tastefuIly
rimmed-over hat was a gorgeousl
contrast, looking loveIier than ever
nd oh! so happy when Victor
farsh expressed his delight over
he comfort kit to which she had /
evoted her little savings. She
danced up from under her home
made headgear in response 20 the
hanks of her knight Grant, so
ovely and enticing. that the fmpuI-
i've fellow forgot himself and kiss
d her audaciously.
1T was your hiatt" he f1oundered
scold me. you looked so
weet in it and couldn't help it,"
And as Ina did not particularly
-tsh him to help it, that was the
of their mutual ardent
opes.
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