After a period of thought, Patty decided on her scheme of trimming for the two hats before her, and then set blithely to work.
One was to be a simple style of decoration, the other, much more complicated. Taking up the elaborate one first, Patty went at it with energy, and with an assured touch, for she had the effect definitely pictured in her imagination and was sure she could materialise it.
And she did. After about two hours’ hard work, Patty achieved a triumph. She held up the finished hat, and every girl at the table uttered an “ah!” of admiration at the beautiful sight.
Without response, other than a quiet smile, Patty took up the second hat. This was simple, but daring in its very simplicity. A black velvet Gainsborough, with broad, rolling brim. Patty turned it smartly up, at one side, and fastened it with a rosette of dull blue velvet and a silver buckle. Just then, Miss O’Flynn came in.
“Where did that hat come from?” she said, pointing to Patty’s finished confection.
“I trimmed it,” said Patty, nonchalantly. “Have you some silver hatpins, Miss O’Flynn?”
“You trimmed it!” exclaimed the forewoman, ignoring Patty’s question, and taking up the trimmed hat.
“Yes; do you like it?”
“It’s a marvel! It looks like a French hat. How did you know enough to trim it like this?”
“I thought it would look well that way.”