The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-24
EVENING STORY
The Cinderella Hat.
BY IZOLA FORESTER


However. these two had been picked
out deliberately with a view to retrim'
ming, and, in extreme cases. Sue could
change morning turban into a chic
evening toque, with a bend here and
there and twist of gold tissue over
the black crown, and possibly a flying
pennant of uncurled ostrich at the
back
But this hat belonged to Madeline
and it did not need the Paris label in
side the crown to tell Sue it had cost
more than all of hers for an entire
year.
1t was wide-brimmed. of rich crush
ed black velvet, with a circle of tiny
curled feathers outlining the crown.
and one ornament, a dull gold Vene-
tian pin set deeply with uncut rubies,
real ones, too. Sue knew. Madeline
had told her of finding ii at a little
shop on the grand canal the day before
they sailed for home.
Just as the elevated train rounded
the curve at Sixth avenue and Fifty
third street a gust of wind had caught
it as it had gone sailing in midair and
blown it out of sight.
She had left the train 1T the next
station and hurried back, bareheaded
to search for it, but the street was
clear of vehicles at this hour and the
hat had vanished. There remained
only explanation to Madeline
Meantime, speeding epmforta bly, up
thru the park in his or ! underslung
roadster. Barry Reid was serenely OBJ
livious of any disturbing element on
his back seat. 1t was not until half
an hour later when he stopped at the
Br!ardale Inn, up near Riverdale-on-
e. hi off
called to the compromising evidence
Where the devil did that come
from - Barry wondered. holding the
hat gingerly and hunting for some
mark of identification. The pin
caught his eyes and he knew it was
genuine. Il won't leave it in the car
while l go inside. And yet there's An
nette and Blair and Lord knows how
many more waiting for met
lie stuck the pin in his pocket and
Inc nat under the seat and went in to
lunch. But after dinner at the club
that night he thought again of the
hat Certainly he was responsible for
It's safe-keeping at least. Surely it
would be advertised for on account of
the pin. He tried to picture the type
OF girl who would look we'll in such a
nat and found he preferred one rather
dark, or perhaps on the chestnut or
DER with large, dark eyes.
At the end of the second day he put
an "ad' in the afternoon papers, but
sue never read the ads and the hat
remained white elephant on his
hands. 1t was too large to CONCEAL. so
Barry had placed it for safe-k eeping
and constant reminder to his con-
science on a bust of lie Rrun that
stood in the place of honor on his
book shelves. Somehow it suited the
piquant, aristocratie face with its sug-
gestion of the Trianon days
The night Of ha Art T YaIo,,
tine dance Sue dressed carefully. try
| ing to hide from herself how she
wished to heaven she might have gone
IN some dazzling costume instead of a s
Good Luck. The costume was becom-
| ing but ridiculously che.r and she
| wanted to be a sensation. Madeline
was going as Melisande, with her own
/ lengthy blonde tresses as an excuse
| In green velvet, with gold girdie, she
would be picture. Sue took up her
| necklace of amulets and fastened
wishbone and tiny horseshoe with
| the rest.
'All l need is a rabbits foot now"
she told herself saVagely as she pushed
her circlet of four-leaf clovers down
about her brown curls. They had
1 been her own idea, and she had made
| them out of green satin over card
| board. "They don't look so bad
either" she added. critically. before
| joining Madeline in the taxi below
Barry was not intending to stay, but
he always managed to look in at the
dance each year, chatting at the door
! with some of the men he knew. 1t
was always colorful and interesting
| and somehow tonight he found it more
than usually so. and had accepted the
| loan of monks domino for a dance
or two, when he saw Good Luck pass
| by on the arm of Filipino Moro
chief.
He asked Parker who she was. and
Parker, who knew everybody. told him
she was Sue Daniels, girl who posed
for the angel heads in stained-glass
studios
Got a Rosetti chin, hasn't she?'f he
added.
I'D marry her in three weeks if she
looks as well with the mask off"
Barry remarked seriously. Il want
| to meet her."
They were dancing together when
Sue, a bit breathless and happy,
| CHANGED to glance at the pin which
| fastened the top fold of her pa rtners
domino. 1t was with difficulty that
| she kept back a quick gasp, for there
was no mistake. 1t was the Venetian
i pin set with rubies-
"A beauty, isn't it," he asked.
There's a story goes with it, too. I'll
tell it to you when you come up to my
place. I've got the rest of it up there"
THE hat?" exclaimed Sue before
she could check herself. LINT it hurt
bit? Oh, you know, it's just too
good to be true, your finding it, for
you did find it. didn't you? You
couldn't have the pin unless you had
the hat. too"
rs it your hate" questioned Barry.
gazing down at her sternly. How do
| l know if it is becoming unless I see
you unma sked. and if it isn't you can't
have it. shall keep it in the interests
of art"
| But if it isn't my hat at~all?" Sue
asked demurely- Just supposing 1
I lost it. what then -
Then I should say it was a Cinde--
| ella hat, and vanished at IL sharp
with the pumpkin coach. Is that
what really happened? Were YOU
running away when you lost it? Sit
| out two DANCES and tell me-"