Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-03-17
MOT a PeHny More
Eaw York Herald

How many people there are in
this great city who weep genuine
tears over the tragedies of the stage
over the unhappy fate of "The
Two Orphans" and similar creations
of the playwright's brain. Or, i'm
romance, has not the incident of
Victor Hugo's Famine selling her
golden hair and pearly teeth to buy
bread for her little COsette aroused
feelings of the deepest emotion
If fiction can so move the heart,
how much more should fact? An
incident as pitiful as anything in
romance, was witnessed day or
two since by a Herald reporter.
While lettering on Fourteenth
street, watching the eager thrOng OF
happy people out shopping for
Christmas presents, he noticed an
homogeneous figure among them. 1t
was that of woman, tall, slight,
and clothed in a dress of shabby
black. Her eyes wore sad eX-
preston, and the lines about her
mouth were tightly drawn. What
a contrast was this pale face to the
rosy cheeks and brighte yes on every
side! The reporter regarded her
with interest. She stopped sudden
ly in front of large store for the
sale of human hair, near the the
corner of Sixth avenue. Hesita-
ting moment, and giving eau
tious glance up and down the crow
ded thoroughfare, she entered
With dOwncaSt eyes she walked up
to a counter behind which stood Il
welI-fed female clerk. Taking
newspaper parcel from under her
shawl, she opened it out before the
cold gaze of the clerk. 1t was roll
of hair, about a yard long, thick
and fine. In color il was nut brown,
with a tinge of gold-just the shade
of the orient, which chung in short
ringlets around her face, and just
the shade that poets love to write
about. 1t suggested those lines OF
Cozzens'
Oh loosen the snood that you wear, jean
Let me tangle hand in your hair, my pet,
For the world to me hath no prettler slght
Than your brown hair bathed in its gold
en- light.
"How much will you give me for
that ?' said the tremulOus voice OF
the woman. The shOpkeeper look
ed at it critically; then coldly an
swered, "a dollar and half"
The woman gazed blankly at her
for a moment. SIS that all ?" and
the pent up tears chased each other
down her careworn cheeks.
"A dollar and a half, not a penny
more repeated the woman from
behind the counter.
The barber that cut it off told me
that | could get $40 for it, said the
poor woman, choking back her
tears.
Then you had better sell il to
him we give you but a dollar and
half
A young lady customer who had
heard this conversation with min
gled feelings of indignation and
emotion, turned to the tradeswOman
How can you offer this poor wO-
man such sum when you know
that you can get at least $50 for that
hair?' said she.
OF course we can that is the
way We do business. The woman
has heard my price,
Then you shall never get cent
of my money replied the young
lady, hurrying from the shop.
only a dollar and halt! Oh,
my God is it possible :" and the
wretched woman sank down upon
a chair and buried her face in her
thin hands, while the reporter won
dered what was back of all this,
what terrible want had induced this
moor creature to mart with her beau
tisul hair; and even more he Won
dered at the hard heart of the shop
keeper. The slight figure of the
woman shook with suppressed sobs;
the long ringlets lay upon the coun-
ter.
For the world to me hath no prettier sight
Than your brown hair bathed in its golden
light.
Had any man ever said as much
of those sh',rn locks?