The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-09-23


with the foam and over the bubbles OF the
fall. It was great fun, like a game oi
play with some friendly giant. 1 was
sitting in the sun afterward with It hang.
ing down my back to dry, and my lap full
of trilliums, when steps sounded, and q
gentleman came down the stairs.
"You needn't pick up your ears In that
eager way. II wasn't Jack. On the
contrary, 1t was quite an elderly man,
With bushy white whlskeRs and hair more
than three.quarters gray. lie was well
dressed, and looked altogether so old and
respectable that l was drealfully annoyed
and ashamed ut being caught with my
hair down, repressed my first impulse
tn jump up and run away, and sat still.
oil, II l only hadn't" cried Ethel, cover
Ing her eyes, with a sharp inomentsry
shudder. "l'ut then, smiling brightly,
''perhAps In that case l might never have
seen Jack; so, on the whole, 1 aln glad ]
did. rr
The old gentleman coasted round the
island with rapid step, looking off at
the Falls. That's what people generally
do, you know, so l wasn't surprised, and
thought that probably, having done his
duty, he wOuld go away. But when he
got to the place where 1 sat he stood
still. and pointing with bis cane, said, in
.grutf, excited voice:
"'I.ots ofit, lots of Il, amt therefP
AYES, 1 said, and couldn't help laugh.
ing, his tOno was so odd"
NLots Of that. too, he went on point.
ipg at myhair. Twas surprised Of course,
but I only smiled. He looked like some.
body's grandfather, and you know we
girls don't feel It necessary to be very
much offended when old men say COM
plimentary things to us. .-.-
$50 went on arraging my flowers.
Pretty soon / felt a touch, and looking
up, there was the old gentleman close to
me, and Just drawing back his hand from
my hair. ssppose Imust have looked
startled, for he said, apOlogetically:
"'Excuse ine-but I used to know q
girl with hair like yours. SO long, 50
thick, so shiny in the sun. l hope you
don't put 1t up in ono Of those messy
water.fallsp
"'No, generally braid It" ....
"'That's right, he reloined. Braid
1t and bake It, and mark 1t with tt ]
declare-What am sayingi' % ..r
"Now was really uncomfortable. Ny
hair wasn't halt dry, but | caught at 1t
and began to twist and stick In pins pre-
paratory to immediate flight. To my
horror the old man pulled the pins out as
fast as put them 10. l .H
"'No, no. he cried; mo pins, no pinsl
Nature must have her own way sometimes,
or she'll explode. Your hair was meant
to hang. No pins, nopins 7
"'Don't,' / said; for in ,eizing the pin'
he pulled my hair drealfully; you hurt
me. Give me back those hair.pins II you
please, sir But instead of giving them
back he clutched my wrist, and fixing his
eyes upon me, said, in allow, sepulchral
voice: Melinda consents. She Is mine,
hair and all. But how to find a priestf
"Oh, Saidee, II you could guess how
frightened 1 was! 1t was not the words
only, but the wild glare Of the eyes, which
told me that | was in the power Of ma.
MAC, nlone on that dreadful island. For q
minute all grew black before Inc. l sup.
pose was on the point Of faintiug away,
Then desperate sort oi courage came 10
my aid, and forcing smile to my lips-l
could feel them quiver and sti1en-l drew
my hard gently away, shook down the
hair, and said,
"'rherc, them i..'.i.7
1.-THE terrible old gentlemen seemed
pleased, much better, much better be
cried. That's the way we wore It In
Paradise, you know. Let me see; ! was
talking What was talking atoutF
About the girl with long hair an
swered, for did not dare to remind him.
"'No, | wasn't and lie gave me sharp
look. 1t was something else. Oh, Melin.
da. Did she promise to be minei'
a'I don't know. Won't you sit down
and tell me the storyl' | laltered, for ]
thought time was my best friend, and
hoped cacll minute to lear somebody COM
ing that way. n.
"Thc lunatic eyed me suspiciously.
Then to my dismay be caught at my hair,
and tied II in tight knot round one Ol
the low boughs oI the tree under which
sat. .'
"'Now,' be said, sitting down directly
hetween ma and the steDs-1nOW YOU'RE
liked, and III tell you the story
"'But,' l said-and Saldee, l actually
gave gay little laugh; Juliet said she
can't Imagine how | did it, and neither
can | now Eve didn't wear her hail
tied round q bOugh in Paradise. Nature
meant 1t to hang down you know ID.
"'You'rc right, you're right SO she did,
he cried, skipping irnm lis seat and unity
Ing the hair as fast as lie had tied 1t up
1t ought to hang, and 1t shall, and he sat
down again between nc and the steps.
"'About Melinda be went on. 'Shl
promised, you know, but the parson said
had a wife too much, or too little-whicl
was it7-and so lie wouldn't come. That
broke 1t up. But kept the lock Of halI
she gave me. 1t yaslIke yOut.t Are you
Melinda 7
"'No,' I said, as positively as l could
speak, Il am MOI Melinda
Observation-Disclosures rejolned the
dreadful creature,in a low deliberate voice,
Anyhow, ibis timo we won't lose our
chance tor want Of pason. Do you hearl
there's on. dOrp hsrt.'-whispering, aid
shielding bis voice with bis hand, as he
pointed nver the edge Of tleiall.n
"Oh, Ethel, do 80 on" cried for she
had suddenly stopped.
"Oh, / don't know what / said," she
nnntinnad lonking very nalc. TOR exactly