The Wyandotte herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1879-1943, 1941-12-12
The New Hat
By SELMA HART
Mcclure Syndicate-WNU ServiceD


YEARLY from his desk. 1t had been
a day of odd jobs-refunds, com
plants, exchanges. Everything had
been relatively unimportant and YET
everything demanded instant atten'
ton. Had Bill Kemp been ten years
older than he was he would not have
taken it so seriously, and conse'
quently would have been nearly as
fresh at the end of the day as ne
was early in the morning.
Il want" said a pair OF violet
eyes, at least Bill Kemp would have
sworn that it was the eyes that
spoke, so timidly and questionably
did they regard him. Il want to
know if l could do something about
my lace hat.
Bill Kemp sighed. They were
such marvellous eyes. And then TO
be mundanely interested IN hat
a silly lace hat.
We'll" he said gruffiy, what did
you contemplate doing about this
lace hat? If it's been worn 1t can
not possibly be accepted for eX-
change or refund
The latter words issued mcchan-
lcally from his mouth, and he Won
dered subconsciously now many
hundreds of times he had uttered
that same sentence sometimes
about gloves. sometimes about HAIR
goods, sometimes about shoes
"Oh. il hasn't been worm! came
the soft voice again. The voice
sounded as though it were full Of
tears and he looked at the violet
eyes again Sure enough, there
were large tears there.
Bill Kemp steeled himself. All
women used tears as d means to
an end and he determined that ne
would not be taken in. We'll, 60
on, 60 on, he said as testify as he
could.
You see | decided last Saturday
that | could take tits beau
tiful hat Oh, II was really the most
beautiful hat in the whole world,
think" she said Wistfully. Il looked
and looked at it-before, you know
and on Saturday / paid a deposit on
it. deposit OF a dollar was to
take II this Saturday, but" the
lips that were soft and pink closed
firmly IL believe that l shan't
need it after all D."
And so you want the dollar back
again take it," he said, tapping
his pencil against the desk and re-
gardlng It coolly.
"Oh, my, no, She said softly OF
course they wouldn't give back the
dollar, but | went TO the millinery
department and the clerk said that
had agreed to take it and l would
have to finish paying for it. II
have the money, but
will you sit down." said Bill
Kemp, rising suddenly, wondering
why il was that he had not thought
of it before. Il haven't been head of
the department long and am at
loss to understand one thing. Why do
women buy a thing, take it home
and then run right back here to re-
turn it,"
The violet eyes crinkled at the
corners and the soft pink lips
twitched Il don't know" she con-
fessed. II never do myself 1t S not
that / probably wouldn't if l had
the chance, but / work and so
scarcely have time to buy what /
need let alone buying things for the
fun of thinking really owned them
for while before | returned them.
1t must be lots of fun, mustn't it,"
And so you want to leave this
flower hat on our hands," he ex-
pOstulated
"Oh, no, not Aowerl" she ex-
claimed in Mortified tones; Its lace. |
And besides, don't want to leave
1t on your hands Id love to keep
1t myself only heard about this
Mrs. Benzinger whose husband is
IN the hospital and whose children
are all so small that she can't work. |
1t wouldn't be right to wear lovely
hat when they might be-hungry.
II you say / don't have to take the
hat I'm going TO take a basket
out there tonight" She looked at her
watch. Its way, way out in"
You run along and get the basket
and I'll see about the dollar refund.
Then when you get the basket filled
come back here and get the dollar
and III take the basket out for YOU
Wherever 1t IS. You can't be run
nlng all over tOwn-a girl like you"
He listened TO her words of thanks
with @aR-air of abstraction. 1--WE
ought TO get bit of supper at
restaurant, first, maybe" he said
nonchalantly, quite as though he
were IN the habit of asking strange
girls to eat with him. He sent the
call boy for the dollar and pulling q
card from his pocket, wrote down: !
Shed like hat-lace-later."
Anc the violet-eyed Mrs. Bill
Kemp with her still-shiny wedding
ring was happily surprised on hel
birthday a few months later with q
round hatbox with huge violet bow.
The hatbox held a hat of lace.