Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-05-30
The Powered
Hat
BY ISABEL NEIL


TT WAS no mere hat, Stephanie
Travis reflected as she stood before
the window of Chez Marie and con-
sidered 1t; It was a spring song, a
poem.
About II were subtle hints Of vio-
let's, primroses and all the blossoms
of spring. 1t was young and wistful.
She walked slowly into the Chez
Marie. Dickie would be furious II she
bought another hat. But this hail
The saleswoman, suave In black vel
vet, was upon her.
"The hat in the window, please"
Stephanie Indicated.
The hat was pressed down over the
soft gold waves of her hair. 1t be-
longed It was perfect. She must
have 1t.
! "How much is the hat?" she asked.
"Only thirty dollars"
Only thirty dollars Stephanie sell
dom paid over FIVE dollars for a hat.
an decide ater." she told the
saleswOman.
@. She dawdled along the street. April
in the shop along the sidewalk, and
S:ephanIe bought a handful.
They conferred the table that night
as she served dinner to Dick. Yellow
candles shed their pale light over the
golden blossoms. The dinner was Of
extraordinary goodness.
"When you want to, you sling a
Oh knlA Mt
the close of the meal, as he leaned
back comfortably to light cigarette.
Dick was a man of few words, but
those he spoke came straight from his
heart Stephanie was vislbly cheered,
and she sang as she cleared the table
and scrubbed the dishes. Later, per.
funed and smiling, she slipped down
beside Dick on the davenport and
rested her head on his shoulder. He
was utterly at peace until
"Dickle. ! saw the sweetest hat to-
day"
81 might have known itp' he thun-
dered. Whenever you are half way
decent there's something in the wind"
Stephanle implored and begged. She
even resorted to tears, which had
proved infallible In the past. They
were idle tears. she found.
I'm tired of spending all our
money on cheap apartment, theaters
and crazy Clothes" he told her at last.
I'm going to change tt
Stephanie didn't worry about the
change He would forget 1t. But two
weeks later he sprung his bombshell.
81 bought house today" he In
formed her. tti
Bought a housed" she gasped weak
ly, with what?" 4s.
''On time-like we bought the furni-
ture." ...... .a8 ieE
where is itf And why didn't you
take me with your"
"Out Maplewood way. I knew you'd
crab It,"
Stephanie did her best to crab It.
She wasn't going to live out in the
sticks. away from everything and ev.
erybody She stormed and cried. Dick
listened. take II or leave it," he ad-
vised
Stephanie took 1t. There was moth.
ing else for her to do. She walled
over her packing and the moving. She
deplOred every point of the little
house. She complained constantly Of
her work, her loneliness. She laughed
at Dicks enthusiasm over his straw
berry bed. his four hens and his gar.
dening attempts.
II was March day, the first on
which 1t seemed possible that spring
might not be only happy memory.
Stephan.e. with an old green sweater
pulled about her, walked about the lit.
tie back yard She stopped under a
tree There, half-hidden by some rot
ten brown leaves, was tiny point OF
green. Stephanie knelt down and
pulled away the leaves II was a GRO
cusl There was the papery white tip
through which the blossom would
push She looked about eagerly, and
felt like Magellan when she found
several others. She didn't tell Dick
Life began TO assume the aspects
of an adventure. Sometimes II was
hard to wait until Dick had gone he
fore going out to see II a snowdrOp
was out or II thai purple and white
striped cr0cus was full blown April
flew b, like the wind
II was u May afternoon when
Stephnnle was raking away the last
leaf and broken stalk of last years
flowers from her little garden. She
paused before bed that was her es
pecinl pride. Il WIS bright with prlm
roses viOlas english daisies and VIC
lets. II made her think OF last spring