Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-04-30
LOVE AND HAIR DYE.

the meadow which wound past the ma-
pie swamp, up to the lonely sheep pas
ture. Apparently, she was watching q
motherly hen-turkcy conduct her downy
brood through the high timothy-grass
but in nreality she was wrestling with fate.
'It's perfectly ridiculousw said Ketu
rah. "Thcre never was in all this world
girl with half az 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 don't
accomplish more houscwork, and my
stcpmothcr deluging me with good adj
vice. Oh, dear, oh, dcarl | would
pluck it out by the roots, if it would do
any goodr
And she seized the lucklcss red gold
trcs5es, handful in each grasp, as if she
rain would have twichcd them out Of
her head
"But what a very silly thing that
would bor' said Barbara Decifcr who
'at on a 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 it2"
"Why don't I-what2" said Keturah,
turning around in sheer amazemcnt.
'Dye itlo repeated Barbara, popping a
particularly bright ripe sphere of scarlet
into her mouth. 'tlts what Mrs. Pcllcr's
city boardcr did when | was help there
last summer She was as gray as bad
ger, Miss Perkins was; and yet her hair
shone like crows tail-leathers. ! 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 you, but there's plenty of col
ors would
keturah = eyes glSAentN' =. = =
ooh, Barbara" !" said she, edo you think
l couldp
Think? don't think nothin abolt
it." said Barbara, fiinging mildewd
berry at a squirrel on the fence. '1'm sut
of it. You can get the stuff at Mill &
Tweezer's. I've seen it many time
in their glass showcases, and"
Just at this moment, however, Mrs
Hitchings, Keturah's stcpmothcr, 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-
rics2"
Barbara jumped up and fed. Keturah
stood still, meditating over the disclos-
ure that she had just heard.
She went down the path to certain
crystal-clear spring, into whose depths
she had often gazcd to look for the ira
ditional rings displayed by the fairies to
those who are about to find their true
lovers.
1t was her favorite mirrior, and just at
this period of the sunny, summer day it
was clearer than any sheet of looking
glass.
'tHorrid p said Keturah, grimacing at
the coppcr-red burnish Of her halr re-
hected below.
But just then some languid movement
of the deep, still waters focused the suns
rays in sort of circle; for second il
seemed as if a ring of gold shone fa
down, and then disappeared.
Keturah's eyes sparkled, and her heart
beat rapidly.
"The fairies wedding-ring sh
gasped. q saw it with my own eyes
But, of course, nothing will ever come Q
it as long as my hair is such hideous :
hideous color. will get it dyed"
And, in her mental consciousness, sh'
remembered that Harry Boyce, who wen
to college with her brother Simeon
would be there that very week, and tina
Harry had once said, "What a prett
girl that little Kitty was"
'But, of course, he couldn't have no
ticed my hair, thought Keturah, mourn
fully. at doesn't show so awfully ba
when sit in corner where it's prett
dark. It's the sunshine that brings
out such an intense carrot color. l WI
dye itln
So that very evening, in the friendi
indistinctness of the purple twillgh'
Keturah crept down to Mill & Tweezer
and waited patiently for an old farinf
to buy an ounce of Paris green for potato
bugs, and his daughter to select bottl
of cheap perfumery, for two tall LADS !
get a physicians prescription made u
and plump-cheeked child to purchase
cents worth of peppermint drops, beiol
she came up to the counter.
"Well, miss, )" said the sleepy old dru'
gist, who moved about like a patent P
rambulating toy which had got out
order, and winked drearily behind \
,pectacle-glasses, "what can do !
youl" !,
Keturah's heart seemed to leap up IN
her mouth, every drop of blood rushed
her face, while in a guilty whisper 81
murmured:
"Hair-dye, sir, please.
Dyer repeated the purblind ana p
tially deaf old man. ''What klna
dye1"