Year: 1870

The SHABBY HAT.


snow, John, you must give up this time
TO me, like a dear boy, and get yourself a
nice thick overcoat; I don't mean you
shall ever wear that one again it is real
ly too d,n-and so saying, Mrs Flake:
white took up from the table the coat in
question, which had been a warm friend
to me for don't know how many winters,
and had been turned and repaired, till
what with new Innings and buttons differ
ent collars and bindings to the cuffs, very
little of the original garment re-
manned, and the general. result was un-
mistakably shabby and hung it up in
the closet with a very determined air
indeed, that plainly told me her decision
in the case was final.


The fact of the matter was this: Very
unexpectedly and opportunely, I had sold
one of my pictures at a fair price, and
having paid in full the arrears of some
household accounts, there still remained
in our hands, unexpended, the magnificent
: sum of twenty-five dollars, the best use to
make OF which we were arguing and de-
ieiding upon, when the reader isintroduced
into our snug little sitting-room. Ten
dollars of the amount we both agreed
should go into the savings bank, while the
remaining fifteen dollars-a very consid-
cradle amount to an artist with reputation
yet to make, and the best little wife in the
world to support-we were free to use as
we pleased.


T" But, my dear" said /, you know
yon want a new hat and warm winter
Gloves and good thick-soled shoes; so
you getthem now, and / win promise to
buy new coat when sell another pic
ture."


Mrs Flakewhite quietly came over to
me, and pulting. her arm around my neck,
held my face directly in front of her owh
dimpled plump cheeks and bright eyes,
with a firm hold of my ear in her right
hand, giving it pull at each word to be
quite sure was giving attention, and said
in a coaxing tone and manner, the like of
which I never did see in any other wo-
ohnl when say please,
you always do what T.wish-now please
buy yourself new coat"


OF course promised to doas she asked
I could not have refused under the cir
cumstances if she had expressed wish to
have me purchase "Central Park for q
summer residence, and build a rose and
honeysuckle- covered cottage in the Ram
ble." This important matter being brought
to a satisfactory conclusion, and having
! been talking about it long time, we
went to bed.


] awoke early next morning; the ham,
mer of our little eight-day clock in the
corner had Just struck FIVE hurried blows
on the twanging piece Of curled wire in
side of its gothic porch, while the gor-
geous landscape painted on its glass win
dow-front, resplendent in the earliest
mellow light of summer sun, was the
first object which greeted my sleepy eyes,
and consciousness again broke in upon
my short forgetfulness of trouble in sleep,
waking me to realize that it was time to
be up and doing-that every available in
slant of daylight must be coined upon my
pallet-every ray of sunlight, so far as lay
within my power, be stamped upon my
canvas in some recognized form or legal
tender, the sum total to form the basis of
s "sight draft upon the public, that, if
duly honored" when presented, would
furnish my loving, accomplishing, gentle,
hard toiling, cheerful wife with such ar
ticles of necessity as she required, and
add many little luxury to our simple
needs and fancies, during the long stay of
winter, who had already heralded its
coming by sending on his rough night
winds to moan among the tree tops, to
shake, fiuttering down, the rustling
brown leaves that seemed reluctant, even
in death, to quit the boughs that bore
them, and to rudely sing and frolic about
our chimney tops, impuoently blowing
down puffs of smoke into our very face,
as we sat near our little wood fire, during
the flrst chilly evenings of October, while
Jack Frost winters own clown and
jester-was already at his pranks, jogging
natures arms as she daintily painted our
WINDOW pdueS, L1uS causing the long,
slanting lines we see zig-zagging across
them a cold night, rougeing nose as well
as face of old maid and young, nipping
sharply at exposed fingers and toes, and
heedlessly causing many grean from
those unsheltered from his merciless fun.
That1l do for one sentence.


Thus moralizing myself awake, quiet
ly turned out of bed, dressed and slipped
out of the room, leaving Mrs. Flake
white-poor tired little body-soundly
sleeping.


went down into the sitting-room for
my shoes, where had changed them the
night previous for slippers, and while en-
gsged in putting them on, some. articles
OF female attire on the chair near by at
tracted my attention. First, there lay on
top Mrs. Flakewhite's hat of brown straw;
1t was neatly mended in a dozen places
the pearl-colored ribbon on it, though but
little soiled, was creased and perforated
with fine holes, and pricked almost to a
pattern, in places where it had been sewed
on in different shapes there were nc
flowers in it, and the strings, from much
tying under her round chin, were lustre
less and ropy. felt my eyes moisten and
my sight grow dim, as l looked at it helt
out at arms length, and thought how diff
ferent it was from the trim bonnet wish
ed to see cover that wavy brown hair
and shade that dear face; but then re
membered, with pride and pleasure, tina
even In spite of its being in last year
style and its other shortcomings, many