The History of a Leghorn Hat

She had decided on a big, wide-brimmed Leghorn, far from cheap.
While she was trying the effect of flowers and ribbon on it, the
wily milliner slipped up and with the hat on Kate's golden crown,
looped in front a bow of wide black velvet ribbon and drooped over
the brim a long, exquisitely curling ostrich plume. Kate had one
good view of herself, before she turned her back on the
temptation.

"You look lovely in that," said the milliner. "Don't you like
it?"

"I certainly do," said Kate. "I look the best in that hat, with
the black velvet and the plume, I ever did, but there's no use to
look twice, I can't afford it."

"Oh, but it is very reasonable! We haven't a finer hat in the
store, nor a better plume," said the milliner.

She slowly waved it in all its glory before Kate's beauty-hungry
eyes. Kate turned so she could not see it.

"Please excuse one question. Are you teaching in Walden this
winter?" asked the milliner.

"Yes," said Kate. "I have signed the contract for that school."

"Then charge the hat and pay for it in September. I'd rather wait
for my money than see you fail to spend the summer under that
plume. It really is lovely against your gold hair."

"'Get thee behind me, Satan,'" quoted Kate. "No. I never had
anything charged, and never expect to. Please have the black
velvet put on and let me try it with the bows set and sewed."