Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-09-06
A BACHELORS TRIALS.
A Tale OF Love and Hafr-Dye.
BIZ CAROLINE F. PRESTON.


happy man but for single circum-
stance. The circumstance was the per-
verse determination of his hair to turn
gray, when he would decidedly have
preferred to have it remain its original
color, q glossy black. This it was that
embittered his existence, in spite of his
good health, good income and pros
perity in other respects. This it was,
as Mr.. Jenkins conjectured, which
stood in the way Of acceptance by So
phronia Jones, with whom he fancied
himself wildly in love.
Mr.. Jenkins felt that he had not ar
rived at an age which justified his gray
hairs. He had only just passed his
fortieth birthday. However, it was
family peculiarly, and he must submit
to it with the best grace that he could
muster.
But all at once light dawned on his
gloomy dissatisfaction. On one of his
quarterly visits to the city, for the pur
pose of receiving his bank dividends,
his attention was called to a placard
upon a wall, wherein the merits of Hig
ginbotam's celebrated hair-dye were
set forth in large capitals.
THAT will be just the thing for me-"
thought our friend Paul. Il don't
think it's at ali out of the way to call IN
art to the assistance of Nature, when
Nature don't do as well by you as she
might be reasonably expected to.
There's no reason why such good
looking young fellow as am" q
beg the reader to observe that gentle
men are much more subject to vanity
than ladies, although know that some
prejudiced persons hold a different
Opinion.) there's no reason why such
a good-looking fellow as I am" con-
tinued Mr.. Jenkins, should wear the
livery of old age"
Mr.. Paul Jenkins accordingly de-
cided to procure bottle of the mix.
ture Proceeding to the store where it
was to be procured, he went IN and in
quired in low tone for Riggin botam's
celebrated hair-dye While the clerk
was wrapping up the bottle, he assured
the delighted customer that it was de
cidedly the best thing of the kind in
the market, and would make hi i look
at least ten years younger.
"Sophronia Jones shall be mine"
said Jenkins exultingly, as he pushed
the bottle into his overcoat pocket and
made his way to the railroad station.
He was anxious to be at home In
order to test the wonderful effects of
the celebrated hair dye The ride over
and the village reached, Mr.. jenkins
rapidly took his way to the residence of
Mrs Selma Wiggin, where he boarded.
He seemed in unusual spirits, which
led Mrs. Wiggin to imagine that the
banks had paid larger dividend than
usual, but how little could she guess
that the little bottle which she could
see protruding from his pocket was the
sole cause of his good spirits. If she
had known that by the help of this he
expected to win the hand of Sophronia
Jones her own spirits would have been
visibly affected, since she would have
been very sorry to lose so profitable
and desirable boarder as Mr.. Jenkins
had proved to be for the last ten years,
during all of which he had been an in
mate of her establishment.
There had been time indeed when
she had hoped that he would become
something nearer than boarder, but
that hoTe Mrs. Wiggin had about given
up, finding that he had never seemed
to notice the glances of affection which
she threw over to him across the table.
Her chief desire now was to keep him
unmarried and so retain him as a
boarder, since, if married, he would
without much doubt go to Seeping
house, and Mrs. Wiggin would lose a
very important part of her income.
Mrs. Wiggin did not fail to observe
the bottle which her boarder had
brought home with him. She felt 9
strong curiosity to learn its contents,
and decided at the very next oppor.
tunity that offered to do SO. That op-
portunity was not long in coming.
Every morning Mrs. Wiggin sent hel
servant in to set Mr.. Jenkins room tc
rights. But on the morning succeed,
ing his return from the city, she con
cluded to take this duty upon herself
in order that she might thereby have 9
chance to find out the mystery which
puzzled her.
Bridget" she said, as the latter wa
about to go up stairs on her morning
errand, ~you have more than usual tc
do to-day. You can stay here and
will clear up Mr.. Jenkins room this
morning"
sShure, ma'am, and you are yery
kind" said Bridget, little surprised
at this extraordinary and unexpected
kindness on the part of her employer.
Il don't want you to do too much,
said Mrs. Wiggin. I am not one o
those people that are willing to worl
their help to death.
When Mrs. Wiggin entered the room
of her lodger, her first proceeding wa
to lock the door-probably IN orde
that none of the dust might get out o
the room into the entry. Having don'
this, she laid down her broom, put OF
her glasses, and began to look CAREFUL.
about her. First she canned tn,
mantelpiece, next the bureau, an'
finally she took the liberty Of OPENING
the upper bursau drawer. Here sh'
found what she sought Before her
wrapped in the same paper, was tn.
mysterious bottle. Hastily uurolling
abe learned the fatal truth.
Il was hair dyel
Why do say fatal truthf vill tel
yOu. Mira Wiggin at once concludes