THE FLIGHT OF A HAT.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8791, 18 January 1897, Page 1

THE FLIGHT OF A HAT.

A perfect gale was blowing. It) roared through the square and tl fn*o <&■ avenae beyond, like the narrowed oarrent of a stream pouring from a whirlpool Into a mountain gorge. Men were cautiously hanging to theft hats, and women frantically struggled will their skuts. S orms of grit be*t against the windows, and pedestrians bent for* ward and held their breath, as they mat the sting-ng, das^'adcn goBR Suddenly <iom^hing white wbirlelup against tha soldiers' monument. Higher and higher it rose— ten, twenty, thirty feet. Then it havered for a moment like a bird, and m*de a swift, slanting fl-gh* into the avenue. It was a brand new straw ha^— one of those that ripea suddenly at the close of the season and fall on the bargain counter. People on both sideß of the street stopped to watch its glimmering flight. It struck in the centre of the electrio c*r track, made a low, skimming bound o! fifty feat or more, and then settled Into ft scorching gait down the avenue. A man nearly a block away saw it coming, and ran Into the ftreefc to intercept it. With feet outspread, knees hugged together and expended arm, he stood waiting. The flying hat 6t-ock him midway between ankles and knees, bounded breait high, snd flvshed over his shoulder before he had tlma to formulate a single exple* tive. By the time he had turned sheepishly round to sac what had become of the fugitive, it was already a bobbing speck in the di-stance. Then a traverse current of the ale caught it-, and it swerved to the side* walk. Three or four ladies dodged It, with little feminine shrieks. Then another man essayed to stop it, but jast as he was bending forward and about to lay triumphant handß upon it the ev»sit« tnt dodged with lightning rapidity »nd went bowling down the gutter. la i ln dim distance a bare-headed citizen labored in pursuit. His breath and strength were well-nigh spent, bob still he kept desperately on, shouting and gesticulating. The mania of tho hat chaser possessed him. * He could not etop, thongh nature and reason urged him to. So long as he could keep his flying property in view, so long that galvanic action of his legs, arms, and lung* must oontlnue. Ab last two m?n planted themielvei abreast In the path of the whirling ha\ Sare'y thus far, and no farther, It might come. The hat chaser paused, with alt his anxious soul shining In his beaded face. Like an arrow the h^t darted on the two obgtructtoni3ts. There was a moment's wavering on their pirr, a slight change of position — and between them It fliflhed. Bub the wirier of tho two men was nob to be thus balked. With the speed of a sprinter he pursued, and finally, making a tremendous spare, got abreast of the hat, and stepped on itFive mina'e3 later tha perspiring owner arrived. He took his h it, now a crnshad And shapeloao mass, f om the hand of ike ciptor and gszad darkly upon It. For a minute exhausted nature forbade speech. Then the man hissed, with jubilant rage and diegnst— " Confound you! If you were a goab I'd make yon eat it ! '