Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-11-25
AIDING THE ENEMY.

SO there"
10 a person lmacquainted with the
Gregory family, the above singular pro-
testation would seem not only very
cross and impertinent, but decidedly
liRcalled for.
Grandma Gregory, in the most mel
litluOus of tones, and with her sweetest
company smile, was simply suggesting
TO her granddaughter Gertrude the pro
prlety Of putting up her back hair.
But you are. seventeen years old"
the lady urged, to all appearance quite
undlsturbed by her companions reply.
Grandma, | shall not be seventeen
till next Saturday" the young lady an
swered, with flashing eyes, land it
don't make any difference how old |
am. When i went to Mrs. Graham's
party, | said that my hair would never
get top of my head again unless it went
there itself My head aches now with
those old tOngs of hairpins that that
hair-dresser stuck through my scalp.
wish my head was rs bald rs old Mr..
Tomlinson's, then | should be let
alone"
"You are very tall of your age, my
dear" grandma began again, III the
same unruflled manner, land for GER
tam occasions such, for instance, as
Carrie Shelville's wedding tomorrow
night-the arrangement of your hair.
rs your own good taste will tell YOU,
should correspond with your dress.
There must be harmony in these things,
else we might us well be barbarians.'
''Therem never be any harmony
about me, grandma, inside or out; if |
have got to be badgered all the time
about my back hair, and how | enter
and leave II room, and how [ behave
when | 90 to those hateful dinner par
ties, which nobody but an antediluvian
can enjoy, why then, grandma, you
might a. well give me up, for / shall
never do you or papa the least credit"
"Just consider a moment. Gerty,"
began grandma again. 'Do you think
that your hair, arranged as it is now, in
4 braid at the back of your neck, will
be in keeping with your white silk
dress?"
NO, Grandma, l don't suppose it
will, but Pm not to blame for that. |
wanted Il blue silk or q white muslin,
suca rs girls of my age wear; but YOU
bought the white silk, and what could
do? The discrepancy will be in this,
grIndma-that my dress will be old
enough for Il lady twice my age, and
my hair will be just as old as | am"
Grandma's patience did seem of the
elastic kind, for even now, after all this
provocation, she proceeded to argue
the case in her most cheerful and
smiling manner.
Il only care" she said, "to have you
dress as becomingly as possible. You
look 4 veritable, full-hedged young
lady, my dear, and the costume that
would be suitable for many girls of your
age would be in very bad taste for you.
hope you will acquit me Of any re-
sponSibility for your outgrowth of short
skirts and pinafores, my dear"
For a moment Gertrude did not
speak. She stood before the library
looking down among the glowing Goals,
apparently in deep thought.
Finally She said with keen glance at
her grandmother:
Il heard you and papa talking about
Court BeAtly astnight"
Yes, my love-" the old lady replied,
giving the last smoothing touch to Il
new lilac glove she was trying ON.
"Wel, grandma" said Gertrude, ''if
Court Bently comes to this house to
make 4 visit, you needn't think I'm go
ing to be polite to him. | believe,
Grandma Gregory, that the reason you
have taken to talking about my back
hair, and my style generally, is because
you want me to look sufficiently ma
ture for that travelled gentleman to take
particular notice of 1t won't work
worth 4 cent, grandma, for [ shall tell
him my age the moment he sets foot
IN the house, and | shall wear my hair
down my back unfettered by braid.
ribbon OF comb, and | shall endeavOr
to look, act and behave as much like
wild Indian rs possible"
''Allow me to inquire, Gertrude" and
now there was a trifiing change in the
old lady's manner, rs she carefully drew
the glove from her shapely hand, ''why
you should single Mr. Bently, out of
our large circle of friends and acquaint-
ances, for the savage exhibition you
speak of? | confess to some curiosity,
strange as it may seem.
Because" the girl replied, with a
blush of yeXation, you and papa have
talked to me SO much about Court
Bentley's PROJECTIONS, and Court Bent
ley's fortune, and, when you have
grown very much interested, you have
looked me over so critically, for all the
world like Il milliner when she is Sc
lecting the shade best suited to ones
complexion; and you talk for the last
few months about the beauty and safe
ty of early marriages, combined with
your anxiety about my back hair-all
these things | put together and added
up, and my figures tell the truth and
you know it.
Il shall give you an opportunity soon
to be ashamed ofyourself," said the old
lady quietly, ''whenI inform you that
the gentleman you speak of is engaged
to n lady in Berlin. You will perhaps
see the propriety of doing your sum
over again, with a view to correcting
the result"
ooh, Grandma Gregory" Gertrude
exclaimed, her sweet face radiant with
delight, ''you may rig me now as you
please, and you can hoist my back hair
to my eyebrows, and fasten it on with