The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-04-22
LOVE AND HAIR DYE.

bars which divided the back garden from
the meadow which wound past the ma.
pie swamp, up to the lonely sheep pas
turc. Apparently, she was watching q
motherly hen-turkey conduct her downy
brood through the high timothy grass
but in reality she was wrestling with fate.
"It's perfectly ridiculousp said Kctu
rah. "There never was in all this world
girl with half as ugly hair as mine. II
it hadn't been for that hair, might have
had the chance of being married half a
dozen times, instead of drudging on here,
with my father scolding because l don't
accomplish more housework, and my
stepmother dcluging me with good ad-
vice. Oh, dear, oh, dear! I would
pluck it out by the roots, if it would do
any good!"
And she seized the luckless red gold
tresscs, handful in each grasp, as if she
fain would have twiched them out OF
her head.
'But what very silly thing that
would bel" said Barbara Decifer, who
sat on stump of tree, hulling the rich
garden Strawberries, which she had just
gathered from the sunny beds under the
stone wall. "Why on earth don't you
dye it9"
'Why don't I-,chat?" said Keturah,
turning around in sheer amazcment.
'Dyc it" repeated Barbara, popping a
particularly bright ripe sphere of scarlet
into her mouth. OTIS what Mrs. Pellcr's
city boarder did when | was help there
last summer. She was as gray as a bad
ger, Miss Perkins was; and yet her hair
shone like crows tail-fcathcrs. ! seen
her putin on the dye once, through the
crack of the door, when was a-scrub-
bin the hall oil-cloths, and it was as easy
as you please. OF course black dye
won't suit yon- Int thrre's nlAntu of nol-
would.
Keturah's eyes glistened.
ooh, Barbara!" said she, "do you think
l could2"
"Think? I don't think nothin' about
it." said Barbara, finging mildewed
berry at n squirrel on the fence. "I'm saae
of it. You can get the stuff at Mill &
Twcezer's. I've seen it many time
in their glass showcases, and"
Just at this moment, however, Mrs.
Hitchings, Keturah's .stepmother, was
heard shrilly inquiring from the back
door, "whether she was to be KEEP wait
ing all day long, with the preserving
kettle over the fire, for them strawber-
ries"
Barbara jumped up and fed. Kcturah
stood still, mcditating over the disclos-
ure that she had just heard. = ~
She went down the path to a certain
crystal-clear Spring, into whose depths
she had often gazed to look for the ira
ditional rings displayed by the fairies tc
those who are about to find their true
lovers. --'
1t was her favorite mirrior, and just al
this period of the sunny, summer day il
was clearer than any sheet of looking
glass.
"Horrid!" said Keturah, grimacing al
the copper-red burnish of her hair re-
fceted below.
But just then some languid movement
of the deep, still waters focused the suns
rays in sort of circle; for a second il
seemed as if a ring of gold shone fa1
down, and then disappeared.
Keturah's eyes sparkled, and her heart
beat rapidly.
1.-THE fairies wedding-ring," sh,
gasped. "I saw it with my own eyes
But, of course, nothing will ever come o
it as long as my hair is such hideous :
hideous color. Twill get it dyedw
i And, in her mental consciousness, sht
remembered that Harry Boyce, who wen
to college with her brother Simeon
would bethere that very week, and tina
Harry. had once said, "What prett,
girl that little Kitty was."
sBut, of course, he couldn't have no
ticed my hair" thought Keturah, mourn
fully. 'It doesn't show so awfully bat
when l sit in corner where it's prett,
dark. It's the sunshine that brings i
out such an intense carrot color. will
dye itp
So that very evening, in the friendl,
indistinctness of the purple twilight
Keturah crept down to Mill & Tweezer's
and waited patiently for an old farme
to buy an ounce of Paris green for potato
bugs, and his daughter to select bottl
of cheap perfumery, for two tall lads t
get physicians prescription made up
and plump-cheeked child to purchase
cents worth of peppermint drops, befor
she came up to the counter.
''Well, miss" said the sleepy old drug
gist, who moved about like patent pt
rambulating toy which had got out q
order, and winked drearily behind hi
spectacle-glasses, "what can l do fc
you3"
Keturah's heart seemed to leap up int
her mouth, every drop of blood rushed
her face, while in guilty whisper sf
murmured:
'Hair-dye, sir, please.
"Dyef" repeated the purblind and pa
tally deaf old man. "What kind I
ayef