Show adventures OF A HAT by ADDISON HICKOX when andrews announced early in june that he was going to buy a straw hat hia his family knew that summer was on its was in spite of the bleak winds ands and cold rains that made them ill shiver andrews laughed aloud oyer over the foolishness shown by women in being slaves to fashion but he would never venture out with a straw hat before the proper moment even though he sweltered tor for weeks well his wife sighed I 1 im in glad of it tor for that old hat looks too shabby to wear any more all I 1 ask Is that you don dont t get the latest tad fad in straw because the latest is never becoming to you oh get a good one all right he assured her cheerfully A con serva tive model but one with some dash just the same so he be did he was leaving for a business trip and bought the new hat on his way to the train so as to have an up to date look when he met inet the man with whom he was as to transact business i in the early afternoon a young boy delivered a large round box at the andrews home maybe somebody s sent us a pres ent lucy andrews cried in pleasant anticipation it couldn coulden t be flowers could if it her mother broke the cord and open ed the box and so displayed to view andrews old derby isn t that just like a mana ex claimed mrs andrews the idea of ending home that old hat hatt it cornea comes in handy for me though because I 1 wanted to have dan carry out some boxes from the cellar and 11 give this hat us as a reward dan was the furniture man he ile waa was pleased with what he termed a swell lid and was profuse in his thanks III wear w ear it to a christening thurs day week he said an won t I 1 be the swell guy though I 1 that night cold rain came down in torrents torrents and mrs andrews did not sleep well be because caus of a new worry orry that troubled her getting up to look after the windows she roused lucy to whom she expressed her worry tour your fat father herll II 11 be home tomorrow morning ehe she said and 1 I in perfect fy y sure the first thing he 11 II ask for is that derby hat it if its it s raining like his he juist can t wear his new hat to the office tt would look absurd oh never mind lucy said consol angly can t tell what the r s going to be maybe it 11 be hot ter n anything tomorrow morning but it wagn t further andrews had barely kissed his wife and daugh ter before he a asked 3 ked for his old hat hata his wife said vaguely what hat hata I 1 thought you wore your hat out of the store when you bought it I 1 did wear my straw hat I 1 mean he derby it beats all how mo dating stores are the man promised faithfully to have that derby up here yesterday afternoon yet he joesia doesn t seem to have meant a word he aid lucy if you don t eat so rapid ly you won t choke lucy sat on the window seat in the dining room for to hours that morn ing watching for dan supported by the excitement of it and by the joy of staying at home from school when dan finally arrived she summoned her mother with a joyous scout I 1 in dan mrs andrews said awkwardly but I 1 t understand that mr andrews wanted that hat it if you don t mind be very glad it if you will bring it back today III bring it if I 1 can ma maam am he aid grumpily but I 1 loaned it to a filand of mine to wear to a d dance ance tonight n 1 lit and I 1 ive ve got to hunt him up mrs andrews gave him a silver do lir lar which he rung on the step before he condescended to accept it then there was nothing to do but wait the day seemed as long it would never end dragging its weary hours along until nearly five 0 alok and perilously near the home coming hour dan a been here to take out the asheh lucy said 0 cheerfully I 1 guess he didn dian t find the hat after all mrs andrews went out in the rain to the next door neighbor neighbors s where she aw dan oh I 1 got it ahe he said sourly but I 1 had h ard to give the teller feller 60 50 cents tor for it mrs andrews refunded the 50 cents ind dan appeared at once at the door bearing the hat in its box tor for all the world as though it were a wedding cake cale or a basi basl et of eggs mrs an drews as so glad to get it that she almost wept and stood off to admire it after she had hung it on the rack in the hall there s no nse use saving saying anything to papa about it she told lucy it would just worry him to think I 1 had so much trouble here he comes now the door swung open to admit the rein man of the house and a gleam of late sunshine hello andrews cried breezily my but I 1 in glad to get home I 1 well well there a my ray hat at last I 1 looks sort gort of funny docsia doesn t if it probably be cause I 1 ve been wearing my new one I 1 think after all my dear I 1 won t bother with that derby I 1 didat realize that it was so shabby you d better give it to dan |