Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-07
AIDING THE ENEMY.

l., l,
so there.
To a person unacqualnted with the
Gregory family, the above singular pro-
testation would seem not only very cross
and impairment, but decidedly uncalled
for.
Grandma Gregory, in the most melll-
fluous of tones, and with her sweetest
company smile, was simply suggesting
to her daughter Gertrude the propriety
of putting up her back hair.
but you are seventeen years DID,"
the lady urged, to all appearance quite
undisturbed by her companions reply.
'Grandma, I 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 ! went to Mrs. Graham's party, I
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-dress-
er stuck through my scalp. I wish my
head was as bald as old Mr.. Tomlinson's;
then 1 should be let alone"
"You are very tall of your age, my
DEAR grandma began again, in the
same unrufiled manner, "and for certain
occasions-such,f for instance, as Carrie
Shelville's wedding tomorrow night
the arrange ment of your hair, as your
own good taste will tell you, should
correspond with your dress. There must
be harmony in these things, else we
might as we'll be barbarians.'
"There'll never be any harmony about
me, grandma, inside or out, if have got
to be badgere6 all the time about nay
back hair, and now enter and leave a
room, and how l behave when I 60 to
those hateful dinner parties, which no.
body but an anteGiluvian can enjoy, why,
then, grandma, you might as well give
me up, for shall never do you or papa
the least credit"
"Just consider moment. Gerty," be-
gan grandma again. "Do yon think that
your hair, arranged as it is now, in a
braid at the back of your neck, will be
in keeping with your white silk 'dress?"
"No, Grandma, don't suppose it will,
but I'm not to blame for that. WANTED
a blue silk or white muslin, such as
girls of nv age wear; but you bought
the white silk, and what could I do2 The
discrepancy will be in this, grandma
that my dress will be old enough for a
lady twice NY age, and my hair will be
Just as old as I 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.
81 only care" she said, ''to have you
dress as becomingly as possible. You
look veritable, full fedged 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. 1 hope you
will acquit ME of any responsibility for
your outgrowth of short skirts and pima
flores, my dear"
For moment Gertrude did not speak.
She stood before the library fire, looking
down among the glowing Goals, appar-
emily IN deep thought.
Finally she said, with keen glance at
her grandmother:
II heard you and papa talking about
Court Bently last night
ayes, my love- the old lady replied,
giving the last smoothing touch to new
lilac glove she was trying On.
"Well. grandma" said Gertrude, eff
Court Bently comes to this house to
make visit, you needn't think I'm 60
ing to be polite to him. believe, grand
ma Gregory, that the reason you bave
taken to talking SO much about my back
hair, and ny style generally, is because
you want me TO look sufficiently mature
for that travelled gentleman to take par
ticular notice OF. It won't work worth
cent, grandma, for I shall tell HIM nv
age the minute he sets foot in the house,
and shall wear my hair down my back
unfettered by braid, ribbon or comb, and
shall endeavOr to look, act and behave
as much like wild Indian as possible"
''AllOw me- to inquire, Gertrude" and
now there was a trifing change in the
old lady's manner, as she carefully drew
the glove from her shapely hand, "why
you should single Mr.. Bently, out of our
large circle of friends and acquaintance,
for the savage exhibition you speak off, l
confess to some curiosity, strange as 1t
may seem.
Because the girl replied, with a
blush of vexation, ''you and papa have
talked to me so much about Court Bent
ly's perfections, and Court Bently's
fortune, and, when you have grown very
much interested, you have looked me
over so critically, for all the world like
milliner when she is selecting the
shade best suited to ones complexion:
and your talk for the last few months
about the beauty and safety OF early mar
riages, combined with your anxiety
about my back hair-all these things I
put together and added up, and my fig
ures tell the truth and you know it.
81 shall give you an opportunity soon
to be ashamed of yourself,'' SAID the old
lady, quietly. "whenI inform you that
the gentleman you speek Of is engaged
to alady in Berlin. You will perhaps
see the propriety Of doing your sum over
again, with view to correcting the re-
sult?"
"Oh, 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
spikes, and I'll never say word, and I'll
forgive you for ever planning about me,
you naughty. designing grandma, for you
know you did, and papa, too