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wife was getting alongshe called him Williamand if they were going to
send her West； and all about her。 I wish she wouldn't。〃
Aunt Sophy undeniably had a habit of regarding people as human
beings。 You found her talking to chambermaids and delivery boys； and
elevator starters； and gas collectors； and hotel clerksall that aloof；
unapproachable； superior crew。 Under her benign volubility they
bloomed and spread and took on color as do those tight little paper water
flowers when you cast them into a bowl。 It wasn't idle curiosity in her。
She was interested。 You found yourself confiding to her your innermost
longings； your secret tribulations； under the encouragement of her
sympathetic； 〃You don't say！〃 Perhaps it was as well that Sister Flora
was in ignorance of the fact that the millinery salesmen at Danowitz &
Danowitz； Importers； always called Miss Decker Aunt Soph； as； with one
arm flung about her plump shoulder； they revealed to her the picture of
their girl in the back flap of their billfold。
Flora； with a firm grip on Chippewa society； as represented by the East
End set； did not find her position enhanced by a sister in the millinery
business in Elm Street。
〃Of course it's wonderful that she's self…supporting and successful and
all；〃 she told her husband。 〃But it's not so pleasant for Adele； now that
she's growing up； having all the girls she knows buying their hats of her
aunt。 Not that Ibut you know how it is。〃
H。 Charnsworth Baldwin said yes； he knew。
When the Decker girls were young； the Deckers had lived in a sagging
old frame house （from which the original paint had long ago peeled in
great scrofulous patches） on an unimportant street in Chippewa。 There
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was a worm…eaten； russet…apple tree in the yard； an untidy tangle of wild…
cucumber vine over the front porch； and an uncut brush of sunburned
grass and weeds all about。
From May until September you never passed the Decker place without
hearing the plunkety…plink of a mandolin from somewhere behind the
vines； laughter； and the creak…creak of the hard… worked and protesting
hammock hooks。
Flora； Ella； and Grace Decker had had more beaux and fewer clothes
than any other girls in Chippewa。 In a town full of pretty young things；
they were； undoubtedly； the prettiest； and in a family of pretty sisters
（Sophy always excepted） Flora was the acknowledged beauty。 She was
the kind of girl whose nose never turns red on a frosty morning。 A little；
white； exquisite nose； purest example of the degree of perfection which
may be attained by that vulgarest of features。 Under her great gray eyes
were faint violet shadows which gave her a look of almost poignant
wistfulness。 Her slow； sweet smile give the beholder an actual physical
pang。 Only her family knew she was lazy as a behemoth； untidy about
her person； and as sentimental as a hungry shark。 The strange and cruel
part of it was that； in some grotesque； exaggerated way； as a cartoon may
be like a photograph； Sophy resembled Flora。 It was as though nature； in
prankish mood； had given a cabbage the color and texture of a rose； with
none of its fragile reticence and grace。
It was a manless household。 Mrs。 Decker； vague； garrulous； referred
to her dead husband； in frequent reminiscence； as poor Mr。 Decker。 Mrs。
Decker dragged one leg as she walkedrheumatism； or a spinal affection。
Small wonder； then； that Sophy； the plain； with a gift for hatmaking； a
knack at eggless cake baking； and a genius for turning a sleeve so that last
year's style met this year's without a struggle； contributed nothing to the
sag in the center of the old twine hammock on the front porch。
That the three girls should marry well； and Sophy not at all； was as
inevitable as the sequence of the seasons。 Ella and Grace did not manage
badly； considering that they had only their girlish prettiness and the twine
hammock to work with。 But Flora； with her beauty； captured H。
Charnsworth Baldwin。 Chippewa gasped。 H。 Charnsworth Baldwin
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drove a skittish mare to a high…wheeled yellow runabout； had his clothes
made at Proctor Brothers in Milwaukee； and talked about a game called
golf。 It was he who advocated laying out a section of land for what he
called links； and erecting a clubhouse thereon。
〃The section of the bluff overlooking the river；〃 he explained； 〃is full
of natural hazards； besides having a really fine view。〃
Chippewaor that comfortable； middle…class section of it which got its
exercise walking home to dinner from the store at noon； and cutting the
grass evenings after supperlaughed as it read this interview in the
Chippewa Eagle。
〃A golf course；〃 they repeated to one another； grinning。 〃Conklin's
cow pasture； up the river。 It's full of naturalwait a minutewhat was？
oh； yeh； here it ishazards。 Full of natural hazards。 Say； couldn't you
die！〃
For H。 Charnsworth Baldwin had been little Henry Baldwin before he
went East to college。 Ten years later H。 Charnsworth； in knickerbockers
and gay…topped stockings； was winning the cup in the men's tournament
played on the Chippewa golf…club course； overlooking the river。 And his
name； in stout gold letters； blinked at you from the plate…glass windows of
the office at the corner of Elm and Winnebago：
NORTHERN LUMBER AND LAND COMPANY H。
Charnsworth Baldwin； Pres。
Two blocks farther down Elm Street was another sign； not so glittering；
which read： Miss Sophy Decker
Millinery
Sophy's hatmaking； in the beginning； had been done at home。 She
had always made her sisters' hats； and her own； of course； and an
occasional hat for a girl friend。 After her sisters had married； Sophy
found herself in possession of a rather bewildering amount of spare time。
The hat trade