The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-06-23
!, curled on pipe-stem. I wish we lad
he fever, some of us, she added, with a

L
great deal nicer than Kate Jessup's.
But the damsels thus appealed to set up a
unanimous cry of dissent. Cut off their
tresses, indeed rob the splendors of crimps,
chignons and curls, a Ia the Court of Napo-
1t was unheard of, nadmissahe thing, they
all agreed, in twittering chorus.
YOU'RE lot of selfish things" cried
Dolly Estcourt, standing up in their midst
with sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks. "As
if it wouldn't grow again. Give me the
scissors !"
And Dolly calmly sheared off, close to the
roots, her own pet curl, containing flossy
gold enough to deck, at the least computa-
ton, the pates of Il dozen dolls.
"Oh, Dolly, how could you? cried the
amazed and breathless spectators.
How could L? why shouldn't 2" she
demanded. There, Mrs. Duer, keep that
until come tomorrow, and I'll divide it
up into little wigs, and curl it nicely"
And Miss Estcourt tied on bewildering
little fabrication of blue and white zephyr
wool, with ribbon rosettcs the color OF her
own eyes, and tripped through the twilight.
"Hallo!" calculated Harry Duer, as he
stood that same evening in the bay window,
with hands in his masculine pockets, sur
veying the temporarily deserted field Of la
Dor; "this is a regular case of chaos and
old night, isn't it /? IT this is the sort of
foundation fairs sprout out Of |, for one,
beg to be delivered from 'em. Somebody's
lost a curl !" and as his quick eye caught
the shine of the golden tress lie bent to ex-
anime it.
"Oh," cried his sister-in-law. that was
Dolly Estcourt's. We wanted some real
hair for the rag babies, and nobody else
would give US any, so Dolly cut off hers
Wasn't it nice of her 2"
lawful nice p responded the young gen
tleman.
"Come, let's go up stairs. I'm tired of
this sort of thing!"
And how was innocent, unsuspecting
Mrs Duer to know that Harry had broken
| the eighth commandment, and was off with
| Dollys curl in his pocket Nor would the
larceny probably have been discovered as
promptly as it was, had it not been for an
| enfant terrible.
Mamma" said Master Ferdinand Duer,
@tat five years, and clad in vicious looking
knickerbockers, switch of the dolls is
Uncle Harry going to dress ~
"Uncle Harry What on earth do you
mean :" questioned his mother
"Cause he had that curl hanging out of
his pocket when he went away
"Bless my soul !" calculated Mrs Duer, as
she ran to the work table to verify her sons
works. He's an unprincipled pirate But
I'll have it back again tomorrow morning
before ever Dolly knows it."
But before the morrow dawned the curl
was destined to effect all the mischief of
which it was capable!
Miss Estcourt appeared at Mrs Briar-
woods ''silver wedding" that evening MI
nus, the curl. To be sure its duplicate, shi-
ming and FURNISHED and loosely coilcd like
the other, dropped over her right shoulder
but the curl was gone, and only little
clipped end hung maliciously below her
net, refusing to he tucked up, or pushed
back, or disposed of in any practicable
manner, and Gerald Wayne marveled much
tlereat
Il want to ask you very impertinent
question, Miss Estcourt," he said, unable to
repress the thirst for knowledge that undid
Mother Eve.
You'd better not" answered Dolly,
saucily, burying her nose in her bouquet Of
violets and cream-colored rose-buds.
but l do want so desperately to know
what you have done with your curl ?"
"Ah," smiled Dolly, audaciously, shaking
the curl's successor, that's precisely what
it isn't your business to know"
And she would not vouchsafe another
word.
When Gerald Wayne was halfway home
Harry Duer overlook him, and slipped his
arm through his own, in hail-fellow we'll
met sort of way.
"Come to my room and have smoke"
said Harry; and Gerald, not knowing ex-
actly what else to say, said '' Yes" and ac-
companled his rival to pretty sitting-room
IN quiet part Of the city en- route to the
opera house and "handy to the stages"
those sine qua mons of young New Workers.
"Not bad looking den for bachelors,
en- 2" demanded Harry Duer, as he passed to
Gerald Wayne his box of Havana cigars and |
poked the anthracite fire to make it blaze |
up into hospitable glow.
Very NICE" said Gerald. absently, as he
looked round on the tinted walls hung with |
spicy French engravings, and the leather
covered table piled with bronze scarabseus
WRISTBANDS, uncut magazines, mecrschaum |
pipe cases and scented notes of invitation.
and nestled his feet into the deep purple |
pile OF the velvet rug. Very nice ior-why |
-halon
What's the matter now ," asked Harry
Duer, STOPPING to pick up the scattered con
tents OF the box of cigars, winch WAYNE had
let iall In his amazement and CONSERVATION. !
Z" You haven't seen i ghost, man, have
you2" n
Dolly Esteourt's curl ~ gasped our hero,
staring hard at something teatheIy and
golden that lay on pile of newspapers.
tied (nh, unblushing desecration) with |
piece OF the yellow ribbon that comes round
bundles OF cigars
Exactly sop answered Mr.. Duer. with
his hands in his pockets and his head on
one side, as he, too, gazed complacently at
the sunny lock. Gerald crimsoned to the
very roots of his hair, his eyes flashed at the
idea of Dolly's false coquetry.
Did she give it to you 2" he asked.
lsternly.
'Now come, old fellow" responded Diner
with the demon of mischief entering into his
heart don't be crusty! You shouldn't
ask questlons-do you think [ am going to
kiss and tell How else do you suppose 1
came by it ~
But Harry Duer was almost sorry he had
INDUCED in his ruling proclivity for .larbso
when he saw Gerald Wayne rise up and
stalk out of the room without another word
apnlogetic or otherwise, 81
Upon my word and honor" he said to
himself, Z" l believe the young mans gone
case I've great mind to call him back
and tell him the truth! Mol won't either
no need Tor him to make such a fool of him
self p
And MIR. Duer smoked his cigar by him
sell, chuckling internally to think of tie