The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-04-07
THE BROKEN HEART.
A Tale Told over a Counter.

You would think Mrs. Chappell an
empress iRcognito, so majestic is her
port, so noble her countenance, so dig
nified and gracious her demeanor; yet
she is only perfumer whom fashion
has converted into dealer in ladies'
hair, and her place of business is lead
ing London thoroughfare. There it
was, over her own counter, we first met.
and that was about five years ago; and
many's the chat we have had over that
same counter since she questioned me
SO closely concerning the long soft tress
of fine hair offered for sale that day
She has clear dark eyes, and they
seemed 10 look through me as she put
the question
.sHas this hair been cut from the dead
or the living?"
I've no notion of gaining my ends by
either falsehood or equivocation, so
looked her fearlessly in the face, and
answered.
"From the dead"
The hair dropped from Mrs. Chap
pell's fingers as if there had been con-
tamination in il.
The implication was palpable. felt
my character was at stake.
.sYou need not be afraid, madam
saidl; " Mary Marbury has been nurse
to the sick more than twelve years, but
she was never known to do mean or
dishonorable action, or be capable Of
willfully carrying conta zion abroad for
the sake of gain. The sweet young
creature from whose fair head that hair
was shorn died from decline, not fevern
Mrs. Chappell must have seen that |
was really wounded by Der involunta-
ry suspicion, for she replied APOLOGIZE
cally:
.sPardon me, but the traffic in hui
man hair is attended with considerable
risk, and have known such serious
consequences To result from indiscrim-
mate dealings with strangers, that"
You suspect every one who is not
personally known to you," was my quiz
ct interruption, as / proceeded to fold
up the hair, which lay on glass case,
and replace it in my black leather hand
bag,
:. Scarcely that" said she, smilingly
laying her hand on the package was
withdrawing, :. but in our trade precau-
tons Is essential; and as the very feel
of that hair told me it was not shorn
during life, | was bound to put the
the question did. But it is easy to see
that you do not belong to the common
order OF nurses; your composed moth
erly face carries its own guarantee, and
therefore, if you ask reasonable price
L am content to be the purchaser"
We all have our weak points. 1t is
sone of mine to be what | seem and to
seem what am, and think that bit of
adroit ilattery was like healing salve TO
my wounded feelings. There was lit
tie chatfering over price after this, but
the bargain once completed | drew
from pocket inside my bag three or
four testimonial letters from medical
men and their patients whom had
nursed 20 health.
/ saw Mrs. Chappell's face change as
she read one of these-she said, with a
sigh.
..Ah, vest Mrs. Coates and were
school-fellows once; but Fortune IL ca
PRECIOUS, and the wheel which carried
Anne Coates up crushed me down.
was not born behind a shop-counter;
nor,n she added, "if | may be excused
the observation and have any discern
ment, did you anticipate your present
calling in your young days.
This was true; but the recollections
evoked by Mrs. Chappell's perceptive
remark seemed to stun me. | must
have gone white as well as faint, for,
with look Of amazed concern, she Of
fered me bottle Of smelling salts, and,