The Penn's Grove record., 1886-06-12
An Unwilling Accomplish.

your" questioned my brother very soli-
licitously.
"Afraid-of what2 Pm not a baby"
"No, indeed; you're a hundred,
m%ockingly.
"And if I've travelled all the way
from Cincinnati to New York by my
self, l don't know why l can't go from
bennington to London"
Eyes, but this isn't America. you
know. And girls are SO silly. L don't
see what can happen to you, unless you
unless you put your head out of the
window too far, and get it knocked off.
Now, don't be dignified. I'm telling
you this to keep my spirits up. I'm
afraid may be the mater might cut
up about my leaving you, but l can't
let tins chance for shooting slip, and the
fellows won't wait. Hellol here's the
traipl First-class to London, guard.
Nobody in the compartment? AL right,
Mollie, Jump in. Make my peace with
the mater if she is vexed. Ira, la, la,
Ia" cried my brother, giving me a hug
and a kiss.
The door slammed. L was going to
London all alone, when it opened again.
A mar rushed in, pell-mell-gun, bag
and fishing tackle.
Just in time, guard?"
cay, ay, SIR"
"Here's a shilling for your trouble.
All alone, eh?"
"No, sir; a young lady, sir"
This time the door slammed securely,
the key was turned, and the guard dis
appeared.
1t was half-past four O'Clock. A
damp, dull afternoon. [ looked at my
self in the little mirror opposite. 1t re-
Elected a tall, ~brown-eyod, brown-haired
girl, with a pretty complexion and a
neat travelling dress. A young person,
eighteen at best, and a very strong and
healthy one. We, my brother and l,
had been to Warwick, S%tratford, ETC.,
and at the last moment he received a
telegram from some college mates bid
ding him to meet them in the North;
they had formed a shooting party, which
was to start the next day. My mother
was in London; so we determined,
rather than disturb his pleasant trip,
that [ return to her alone. The train
was going at full ~speed-ffty-five miles
an hour. 1 could scarcely, III the dim
twilight of the December day, dstin-
guish the rapidly moving trees and the
houses as we skirted along.
After a little [ turned my eyes to my
| companion. He was a tall, raw-boped
man, with gray eyes and long red halr;
heavy red whiskers covered his race.
| He wore a shooting jacket and a loose
| flannel blouse. He fixed his eyes on me
| for five minutes without speaking. At
a certain station the guard got out II
passed the window. L saw another Off
cial get on. We started off with renewed
rapidity. 1 was feeling almost lonely,
and the slightest degree embarrassed by
nv close proximity to my unsoclaDle
| companion, when he got up from his
seat, and opened his travelling bag, took
| out a pair of shears, and putting his
hand on my shoulder, said:
81 want YOU to cut my hair"
"Cut your hair?" l cried, too amazed
to be alarmed. ''Are you crazyP"
eyes, cut my hair Immediately"
'I will notl'' l exclaimed. Guard,
guard, come to me; this man is crazyP,,
1 rushed to the door; 1t was locked, OF
course. and the guard 1 knew, and who
knew us, was miles away, having
changed at the last station. =.
at is useless to make a disturbance, II
said the fellow. II intend that you
shall cut my hair. If you do not L sinai
kiss you-take your choicel"
T~remblingly 1 took the shears.
swat; put a towel around my neck:
Thanks, very much. Now, carefully
For an hour L cut away; it had grown
quite dark, only the dim light OF the
railroad lamp illuminated the compart
as it all off?n he asked, producing
his glass and peering at his cropped
crown.
eyes"
"Not bad for a beginner. Now fol
my whiskers. L can't shave, you, see
my arm is broken"
For the first time l saw this mempei
hung helplessly at his side. It,
"But l will not" / screamed; II VII
notl''
eyes, you WILL" said my prosecutor.
"You will do Just as l tell you. Knee
down here in front of me and cut my
beardi"
81 will not, 1 will notl'
every WELL" And he advanced to
ward me.
Instantly I was on my knees cutting
away at the forest of u~neergrowth.
Gas close, as you can, my dear-yor
will find the shears sharp. l don't be
lieve you have left a hair on my head
This took me longer to do than m.
previous job. The beard was stubborn
and monsieur was particular.
"An must CO." he said pensiyely
Gan my love-locks and my lady killers
But necessity''-drawing a sigh-"crue
necessity, knows no law"
He threw a kiss with the tips of HI
bony fingers.
Il shall always dub you cruel neces
sity in my own mind"
His face being as clean shaven as m,
implements allowed, he bid me turn m
back.
81 will notl Oh, l will notl' 1 wept
"You will kill me. Oh, have mercyl
"You will turn your back immediate
w." said my tormentor. But mrs
help me adjust my arm in this sling"
Like a whipped slave l meekly tor
the linen handkerchief he produces
from the valise into two parts, AM
bound it about his arm. At least h
was brave, for the drops stood on hi
brow, but he did not culver.
Snow, take this lead and pencil unde
nv eyes, and shadow my eyebrows. NO
too deeply, but as you would your own
were YOU dressing for a ball"
trembled. "The madmanp' | wins
pered below my breath. "Oh, the mad
; man!' But 1 did as l was bid. One tal
tering look and l felt his arms would b
around me.
"Now, look out of the window
, Mind, if you so much as move tina
pretty little head, on my honor as a gen
tleman / must take my revenge"
For twenty minutes-or was 1t a hun
7 dred years?L sat gazing into the dark
ness without. The lightning rapidit
of the train as we rushed along made
! leap through the window suicidal.
i thought of my mother and, poo
child, of my girlish sins and n~egligence'
: l was too frightened to cry, too stunne
to make any resistance.
. ar - - ,~aNt,r 1aar ~ GQlh a ora