The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1919-06-07
"a PURPLE HAT"

BY FANNIE 3. LINsKY.
Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate

herself, the very best reason in the
world for being all three.
And thai reason was, of course-a
man. A most exasperating. irritating,
fascinating, g~ood-looking, likable
young nan. In other words. it was
Bob HARDWOOD, who had been coming
to see her so long and so steadily rhat
all the other boys in town had dropped
off,"
81 know he means to propose" she
said wrathfully, not addressing anyone
in particular, and she slammed her
book into the corner.
81 thought last night that he was
just on the verge of saying something
but then-rve thought that a dozen
times before now and nothing ever
came of It'll"
She got out of the hammock and
picked up the much-despised book. 81
suppose l might just as well finish my
story" she said half aloud, tits a good
one, too-but every time l think of Bob
HARDWOOD it makes me so angry l can't
even read"
The afternoon wore on, and Anne
was aroused from her reading by the
CHEEKY whistle of the gray-haired post.
man as he anne up the path on his
afternoon rounds.
Anything for me, Mr.. Hobbs?" she
called out gayly.
"Only one letter, Mamie" he called
back, for the old nan had known Anne
cinao how vtnofOro ond niutoil Ia VIC
and they We're great friends.
"Why, it pears to me like it's your
Aunt Martha's writing" said the old
man, s%crutinizing the letter closely.
"Wonder what she's got to be writing
about?" he observed, as he handed
over the missive, and he stood there
waiting to hear the news. For wasn't
he postman-and as such expected to
know who got letters-and where they
were from-and what they were
about? That was Mossville etiquette,
established of old, and far be it from
Silas Hobbs to neglect his duty in this
regard.
you must be a mind reader. Mr..
Hobbs" said Anne, glancing through
her letter. ut is from Aunt Martha,
and she wants me to come and spend
a week with her.
Nov, you take my advice, Anne,
and go right along" said the old man
wisely shaking his head. you know
what you've told me bout a certain
young maxwell, this'll be just the
thing. If l was you, I'd go right up
and get ready now, and l wouldn't
say nothin' about it, neither. Take
my advice now, and run along and
pack. You just stay up at the farm
for a week or ten days, and don't
write him a word, and l guess thatll
bring him to his senses if anything
ever will"
"Why, l do think that you are right,
Mr.. Hobbs. It's the very thing" said
the girl, getting quite excited at the
thought of running away.
Mary, the maid, was just finishing
her work for the day.
I'm going away for a week or so,
Mary" said Anne, as she entered the
spotless kitchen where Mary reigned
supreme, but it's to be a dead secret,
and if you'll come up and help me pack
before you go out, so that | a get
away, I'll give you my purple hat that
you liked SO much"
"Oh, thank you, Miss Anne" said
Mary, land indeed I'll help you"
So they packed, and when all was
done, Mary went off to prepare for her
evening out"
Down the street that evening saun-
tered Mr.. Robert Harwood. He had de-
cided to call upon Anne. She did not
expect him, very true, but still he was
sure she would be glad to see him. She
always was.
Enjoying his after-dinner cigar he
turned the corner of her street and
gazed over at the house.
Just then the door opened and down
the steps lightly tripped a4young wom-
an. He would have recognized Anne
anywhere by the purple hat that she
wore.
Good gracious, what's thati" NUT
tered Bob HARDWOOD, as he stepped
back into the shadow.
"Anne-and a man! Oh, what a
fool I've been," he CALCULATED, sud-
denly brought to his senses "Now |
suppose some other lucky fellow has
stepped in and cut me out. Well, it
serves me right for waiting so long
but by Jove! l won't give her up so
easily. III ask her to marry me to-
night if l have 10 sit up all night and
wait for her to come home" and he
strobe across the street and gave the
bell a jerk that made it resound
through the whole house.
Footsteps strangely familiar came
running down the hall. The door open
ed and there stood-Anne.
"Why. | camel mean l saw"
"And 4 conquered l suppose" fin
ished Anne sarcastScally, but smiling
at his confusion.
mo. l haven't, that is-nOt yet" said
nj .aa,..o;n. Lfrr,o1e n 1;++lo Gu,,A 7