Is It a Dream

The craftsman was bent over his workbench studying a stack of ostrich blooms when the bell above the shop door announced new visitors. In walked a gentleman and his daughter, people of rank and privilege betrayed by the richness of their starch finery. The man choked in his high collar and the young miss in blue dress with white pinafore that a strong wind couldn't ruffle. Their status was of no mind to the craftsman because his shop was the finest millenary in the village and only the well to do shop there.
"Go day Mr. Thaterdam, "called the gentleman, "Is my new topper ready?" Mr. Thaterdam turned two weary eyes towards his customers, his glasses fell to the tip of his long nose and a wide grin lit up his face as he reached for a splendid top hat sitting near him on the bench. "Most certainly Mr. Liddell" Mr. Thaterdam said with a hint of pride, "and please note the velvet smoothness. It is the finest beaver pelt. You'll not find such a fur used in any other hat shop."
"Oh my yes, you have made a grand hat sir." Mr. Liddell turned toward the full size mirror standing in the shop corner. His daughter Alice's eyes scanned the shop as her father tried the hat at different angle and her gaze stopped on a pile of feathers and dried flowers set out at the ready to adorn a ladies hat. "Thinking of a new bonnet is you Miss Alice?" Alice's eyes lowered a little as she replied, "No thank you sir, I'm not much for hats, I do not care for even the small straw bonnet mother insists on for church." "Why, certainly not", Mr. Thaterdam chuckled, "you would not want to cover that lovely golden hair. Why I shouldn't think you want to cut it" "You look like summer itself, with your hair like the sun and eyes as blue as the sky." He ran a callus hand down the side of her head separating gold filaments that spread into the sunlight forming a halo. The milliner's gave a whispered sigh. Alice smiled as she quietly replied, "thank you sir", and quickly looked for her father.
Mr....