a document she had intended to
treasure till her dying day.

As the time for my going to Low Heath approached, I began to turn my
attention seriously to my _trousseau_.

My first care was to get the square-topped boiler, and a rare job I had
to procure it. None of the hatters in Fallowfield knew of such a shape
in young gents' hats; and the shopkeepers in Wynd, whither I went over
on purpose, were equally benighted. My mother, too, protested that she
had never heard of such a kind of hat, and that it would be hideous when
I got it.

That was no fault of mine. It was the Low Heath form, and that was
enough for me.

At length I heard of a hat of the kind at Deercut, five miles off, and
walked thither. It had been made, said the hatter, for a young sporting
party who attended to a gentleman's stables, and knew a thing or two.
He had got into trouble, it was explained, and was "doing his time on
the circular staircase," which I took to mean the treadmill. That was
the reason the article had been thrown on the maker's hands. It seemed
just the thing Tempest described. The top was as flat as the lid of a
work-box; indeed, it was precisely like a somewhat broad-brimmed
chimney-pot-hat cut down to half height; and after a little pinching in
at the sides fitted me beautifully. The maker was delighted to be able
to suit me, and smiled most graciously when I paid him my five shillings
and walked out of the shop with my junior exhibitioner's "boiler" on my
head.

I set down to envy or ignorance the jeers of the village youths who
encountered me on my way home. Some people will laugh at anything they
do not understand. My mother's protests, when she saw me, however, were
not so easy to dispose of.

"Why, Tommy, it makes you look like a common cheap-jack," said she.
"It's not a gentleman's hat at all. I'm sure they would not tolerate it
at Low Heath."

"On the contrary," said I, "it's the form there. You might say the same
of mortar boards or blue-coat dresses. It all depends on the school."

"But are you sure Tempest was not exaggerating?"

"Tempest is the most particular chap about form I know," said I.

"Well, dear, promise me you won't wear this dreadful hat till you go to
school. Wear your nice cap that suits you so well till then."

I humoured her. Indeed, I was a little shy myself of meeting Mr Evans,
or any of that set, in my new garb. They would be sure to pass their
nasty personal remarks upon