Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-08-22
o. THAT
MAGIC
MILLINERY
LETTER
(0 by d. J Walsh.l

LILA DOOLITTLE always read
- the Reporter on Friday morning
L. while she was eating her break
fast. Between mouthfuls OF
cereal, sips of tea and nibbles of hot
buttered toast she culled the latest
gossip OF town affairs and meditated
upon fresh attractions offered In the
advertising. Strawberries at 25 cents
basket, green onions and grated
horseradish-they were all there in
plain sight on that page which was
uppermost as the paper lay disre-
garded beside Elias plate. For Ella
was absorbed in the letter that she
had found in her mail box along with
the Reporter.
Aside from bills for light, telephone
and water. Elias mail was light. She
was no hand to write letters herself
and when one is delinquent In this
respect ones friends are apt to be.
This missive was at once a surprise
and a delight, for 1t was written in "A
manly hand on elegant pale rose pa
per. 1t began: my dear Miss Doc
little and was signed "Yours. most
cordially, Georges LaKinne," In be-
tween was sandwiched the informa-
ton that Mr.. LaKinne had opened a
French millinery shop at No. 7 Main
street and that he would be ready to
welcome his friends at nine that
morning.
Ella Doolittle felt delicious STIR
ring within her plump. mature bosom.
To her knowledge French millinery
had never before been on sale in that
town. A man milllner was certainly
novelty. And the name-it thrilled
one somehow, like this personal,
exotic letter. She was sure that she
had been marked for special atten-
ton. And she resolved to 60 to the
sale as hidden.
1t was exactly three minutes to
nine when Ella tried the door handle
at No. Main street. 1t turned and
she entered.
Fairyland opened before her. The
old place, which had been used vari-
ousiy as an Office, store and repair
shop for automobile tires, was trans
formed. A green velvet rug covered
the uneven floor. the walls were hung
with green. against which mirrors
flashed their charming reflections.
Toilet tables with chairs before them
tempted one to be seated. There were
flowers everywhere, pink roses, artifi-
cial of course. In long-handled baskets
and caught up in garlands. But the
real beauty lay IN the hats and the
accompanying hat boxes. There were
only half a dozen of these creations.
Elias glance fell upon blue one and
she felt suddenly as If she had &c.
quired high blood pressure. That
blue hat was just the hat she had
always been seeking and had not up
TO this instant found.
Green velvet hangings at the back
Of the shop parted and she turned
from the hat to stare at the most
amazing young man she had ever
seen He was tall. slim, dark in
lustrOus way-his black eyes sparkled,
his white teeth flashed, his dusky hair
cleaned like wet paint. Ella felt now
as If she were walking backward into
her seventeenth year, for here was
the girlish dreams. the manly vision
that had made her fling ugly, faithful
Herbert Potter into the discard.
He had way with him, this Mr..
Georges LaKinne. First thing she
knew Ella was sitting before one of
the vanity tables with kindly light
behind her and that azure dream COM
pletely covering the few gray hairs
that had strayed into her rather old
fashioned couture.
"YOu-you don't think it's a trifie
tOo-toO-" she chOked over the rest,
too young for me?" Georges shook
his handsome head positively.
ut is perfect! Avec beaucoup de
chic-for madame!"
How much is it?" faltered Ella.
"Fifty dollars, madam"
Eff" Ella jumped and then set
tied down weakly. She had never
paid Miss Simpkins more than So for
a hat in all her born days. OF course
she could afford II by skimplng on
chicken and cream and other things
for the rest OF the season. And one
thing was certain--there wouldn't be
another hat In town like 1t, for no
other woman could afford to have one.
Five minutes later Ella was on her
way home with her prize reposing In
a gorgeous hat box. specially designed.
She was so grateful to Georges that
she had been almost tempted to ask
him TO dinner. hut perhaps that
wouldn't have been seemly, as she
lived alone. She blusIcd at the
thought.
At 2:3O that Afternoon Ella Doolittle
came out OF her house wearing all her
best clothes and the new hat. She
was going to the meeting OF the wOm-
ans club and she was gciny late-in
order TO make u sensation. Her head
was very high rs she WAS ushered
into the double parlOrs where Mrs.
Hoag. president as wei! as hostess,
was conducting the meeting. A stir
run among the duzen women present.
Instantly every eye turned from Mrs
HOag 10 the late conner. Instantly,
also, ella, sinking into q chair was
startled by the fa,f that every woman,
aside from Mrs Hong. who was, of