About 1899 and 1900 hats were hats! We never went out of doors without a hat. A certain young lady had a sailor hat as did most of her friends. It was white straw and quite stiff with a high crown with medium width brim . It had a dark blue band of ribbon aground the crovm with neat bow on side. Oh, it was a "nifty" little hat and. looked smart a'top a wealth of light brown hair of the girl who wore a blue mohair skirt with a white shirtwaist and blue four-in-hand neck tie with high (3 1/2") stiff collar. To keep this hat secure it required at least two hat pins and often three. The pins in this hat were about 6 to 8 inches long with white and blue porcelain knobs. They were of various uses such as picking olives and pickles from bottles and for protection! This hat had many names, places and dates written inside the crown. This was quite the style as was the number of fair ribbons young men had tied on their buggy whips.

This hat went on a good many boat trips--both steamer and row boats. It went on one buggy ride without the owner. It was found under the buggy seat and when it was returned two more names were added to the list inside the crown, but the hat pins were missing! Soon after two gorgeous pins came by mail, and it was many a day before she heard the last of the hat taking a ride and what became of the pins. The hat was returned no worse for its trip, and was worn the next season.

The young lady never saw the pins again but knew they were among the young man's souvenirs.