nt, and I won't wear any o

med bonnets, which she could not see because her eyes were half-blind with rebellious tears. What right had any one to tell her

de-brimmed felt hat, trimmed simply with f

a'am!" the saleswoman said, as she

ame hurrying back to

oward the despised hat. "It's stiff as a poker. Do you suppose I want to have just bunched-up

g more to your fancy," she said. "But plumes are expensive and peri

Nan, disdainfully. "Bigelow's! Who

And I myself know it to be one of the oldest and best firms in the city. On

heir hats-every one of them. If you won't let me go to Sternberg's,

e sales-woman was back again with a fre

on a table and began to examine the others c

e governess asked, setting it on her hand and letting it revolve

f red velvet underneath and a bird-of-paradise on top, caught in a mesh of red and yellow ribbons

ted, and then put do

dertone which the saleswoman could not distinguish. The girl started briskl

restored to good humor, and kept up a strea

" she demanded at last, indi

difficulty, con

u know. I can't say it suits me exactly. Still, if

ried not to let her discover how ashamed she was to be seen in the street with such a monstr

heon down-town, and then, if you like, we will go to see Callmann. I haven't been to a sleight-o

" cried Nan, in a burst

as jolly to sit in the midst of all this pleasant bustle and be served with delicate, unf

vision of that bird-of-paradise hovering over those huge butterfly bows thrilled her with a great sense of importance and self-satisfaction. More than once she saw that her hat was being noticed and commented on by the other guests, and she tried her best to seem not aware-to look modestly unconscious. But

clock struck

aid Miss Blake, looking u

entertainment b

up we have still a few minutes to spare, but

there's so much going on. And now my foot

forged ahead at such a rate and darted in among the maze of trucks and cars and carriages so recklessly that there was actual danger a

watching the crowds press and surge about the doorways of some of the most

lake, "but I don't like crowds, and when I am hemmed in at a counter

n, with a laugh. "I'd shriek, 'Air! Air!' and then

Nan saw was amusement at s

an occasional glimpse of a stray cockade or a floating banner. Still the people were massed solidly from the gutter to the house-steps. We were wondering where the enjoyment in this came in, and congratulating ourselves that we were not doomed to struggle and fight for space in such a huddle, when suddenly we heard a shrill scream. It was a woman's voice crying, 'Air! Air! Give me air!' In another instant the crowd pushed back a step, and quite a respectably-dressed young person staggered weakly through the line to the curb, as if to get more breathing-space. Of course she could have got this in a much easier way by going in the othe

e the parade after all, and I declare she deserved to. T

We cross here. Please don't rush so-I can

ebrows together in a scowl of irritation. But her face cleared

," she begged. "If we're wa

expression came over her face and she said, delib

ngular piece of good fortune that there were pla

d yet being able to get the best seat

Nan did why the majority of the audience pre

s really no less than a magician who can take a red billiard ball from, no one knows where, out of mid-air, apparently, and suddenly nipping off the end, transform it into two, each equally as large as the first. Presently he thinks you would like to have a third, and, presto!

from the platform to the middle aisle and addressed, first this one and then that from among his spectators-only Nan again noticed that these always happened to be sitting as they were themselves, in the foremost seats. He induced a man just in front of her to come upon t

ear, "can't we move back a little? If he should

f-through a trap-door. No, we must stay where we are and w

he first time she had a feeling of mistrust regarding it. Suppose it should fix his eye, wit

audience who was much surprised at seeing them straightway converted into so many gold ones under his very nose. Innocent-looking hoops turned out to possess the most remarkable faculty for

or two of explanation, the wizard drew first one chair and then the other from beneath it, and

hing there? No! I thought not. Now I will place within it these bells, so; and this tambourine, so; also this empty slate. You see it is empty. It is qui

t as if they had been vigorously flung aloft by hidden hands. The smiling magician stepped forward, opened the doors of the cabinet with a flourish, and lo! it was

wizard was tripping down the stage steps and making his way affably up the middle aisle again. It was only wh

riment," he began with a persuasive smile. "I assure you, Miss, I will not injure

back of her chair, so disconcer

e, quickly, as if to put an end to

ian took it with a profound bow and h

ious, but that is because they do not understand the art of millinery." As he spoke he made his way up the aisle and to the steps that led to the stage. "It is a beautiful hat. Very elab

to recover himself let Nan's cherished head-gear fall and broug

have I done?" he deplo

at them now, and the magician was making them even more conspicuous

erty to you uninjured, did I not, Miss? So, of course, I must keep my word." He held the battered mass of ribbons and bird-of-paradise high above his head as he spoke, and t

ady? The

g Callmann stepped forward with the hat in

, and she hardly heard the wizard's voice as he asked to be permitted to use the hat for still another experiment, and she scarcely saw how he pla

ght she could never in the world get up courage to set that hat on h

they ever see me in the street they'll say, 'There goes that tri

and when, at last, it was over and they were well on their way home, Nan heaved a great sigh of relief and tried to summon back her courage by declaring that "I don't care if

tisfied with it," sai