Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-05-18
SALLY'S
WINSOME
RED HAT
&c BY 3. J. WASH


NALLY GAWTREY had reached
the age where a woman can do
~ as she pleases providing she does
nothing out of the usual. Life
had taught her a thing or two, she
had had few smart slaps from fate,
and even now certain memories of dis
aster and death continued sharp at
times. But at least she had arrived
at the point where she could be sensi-
BILE and pick up uny little joy that
might come her way.
Just lately, too, bit of good for
tune had befallen her. An almost
unknown relative had left her few
thousands, which enabled her to take
long rest, be Independent Of work
and her married sister-who by the
way, could not understand Sally's not
marrying-and get for herself few
of the things her soul had always
hankered for. Books, for instance,
and a little trip now and then.
So 1t was that she came to go to
the city alone. Her sister Anna, Mrs.
Swartout, had intended to CO. but at
the last moment had been unable to
because her husbands mother was
coming to spend the day.
"YOu are sure you can go without
me?" she asked, and Sally had smiled
her little smile of patience and cour-
tesy.
Yet all the sixty miles to town she
wondered If she had not been over
confident. She had never been to the
city alone In all the forty years she
had lived. OF course, she knew how
to find her way about, and when she
had walked to the first department
store and performed series Of COM
missions for her sister and the neigh
bors she decided to take half an hour
before lunch peeplng at things she
herself wanted to see
Hats, for instance, Sally loved hats,
but up to this point she had hardly
ever had anything but black or brown.
She was wearing brown now, little
old shape Anna had trimmed for her,
and it made her, as she well knew,
look muddy. Not that that mattered
She was peeplng into the fasclnat-
ing window of a hat shop when a
woman, who was bending to take a
hat from the window, saw her and
beckoned. Sally went In.
"Well, It does seem good to see
somebody. from home," Grace Wilcox
said. Can you wait round a mo-
ment Sally? I've got customer"
Sally waited round. She was sur
prised to see Grace Wilcox selling
hats. She wondered how 1t had come
about. Presently when the customer
had gone Grace told her.
81 got so tired OF hosiery and they
wanted me here. You see l sell hats
because l can wear 'em. Look here I"
She snatched a iame;c0lored hat
from the showcase and deftly donned
Il.
Here, you try 1t on, Sally" she
said.
Sally Obeyed.
Goodness !" breathed Grace VIII
cox. THAT hat was made for you"
Sally looked into a mirror and
gasped at the swift transformation.
Her grazing hair was hidden, her
dark eyes became brilliant, her cheeks
glowed. It was daring but charming.
"Why haven't you ever worn redf"
Grace demanded.
Sally shook her head.
"Well, we've had too many deaths
In our family for one thing, and then
red Is expensive. When you can have
only one hat In two years" She
paused. "I'll take this" she decided
suddenly.
"Flve niney eight" Grace said brisk.
ly. "Oh, say, SallyI You haven't
lunched yet, have your Well, come
on and go with me. I'm of duty now
And. Sally, don't you dare take that
hat off your head"
Sally laughed-actually laughed.
II love 1t too well to part with IT,"
she said. She counted oft the money.
"And now, Grace. I'm ready to go
with you"
It was only two blocks to the res
taurant where Grace Wilcox lunched
every day, but by the time they got
there Sally had glanced at 80 many
different things in so many different
windows that she was surprised TO
find herself in a mirror looking like
somebody else. Indeed for half an
instant she almost thought she was
gazing at another woman, a good.
looking woman, too, who had hand
some dark eyes and just natural color
enough and who had youthful figure
topped by a radiant hat. Then she
remembered, and with discreet amuse
ment recognized her old black suit. |
which she herself had pressed the day |
before on Annals ironing board.
She sat down at the table Grace
selected, feeling generally on the best |
Of terms with herself.
"Ihis Is my treat" she said. "No! |
You won't, Grace expected to be
lonesome today and you are helping |
me out nicely. And think what you
have Just done to my head" She
laughed again. "We1l take the regu.
lar luncheon she said to the wait.
ress.
The regular luncheon was a dollar
each and Sally had expected to lunch |
on u sandwich and cup OF ten, bu.
she suddenly felt expensive and gen
erous.
"NOw tell me about yourself she
began. And Grace told her all there
was to tell, how she enjoyed her work
and had some good times. Sally In.
terpreted reservations.
"I'll never go back to Klrbyylle TO
live again" Grace said, "but | love
II all the same. What's going ONT Has