St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-25
WINTERS MASQUERADE.

WINTERS MASQUERADE.
Puck.
Once upon time, Winter was sitting
by the side of frozen brook, in the
clear black ice of which he observed his
wrinkled face and flowing white hair
and beard.
ut is an awful thing to be old and
decrepit." said Winter to himself, as he
ran his fingers through his hair and OBJ
served the crOwtracks under his eyes;
Il should be happy if l could only be
Spring again.
Just then little gnome sprang out of
the earth and said:
Il carr make you look so much like
Spring that no one can tell that you are
Winter"
WHO are you?" asked Winter.
II am merry little barber gnome,
with light airy touch, rene wer made
by myself and warranted to make hair
grow on the baldest head. and half
thousand questions Oh all sorts of unin-
teresting subjects"
How are you going to give me the
airs of SPRING." asked Winter.
First will give you a nice clean
shave. then trim your hair and dye it
golden, and you won't know yourself"
So Winter smiled as he stretched
himself against a fallen tree TO be
shaved. The little barber gnOme lath-
cred him to the eyes, and shaved him
against the grain, and, while he was
shaving him, lie asked:
''DOes the razor hurt yOu?"
Not at ALL" replied Winter.
"Shave closeup
''Pretty close" replied Winter.
81 was thinking / might make side
whiskered Spring of you"
''Shave it all OFF, replied Winter.
So the little gnome shaved away until
Winters white beard was scurrying
along like a wreath Of snow. When it
was all off, he applied a fresh coat of
warm lather, and Winters smile was
like May sunbeam.
pretty cold" observed the gnome.
"Never feel it,, replied Winter.
Nov, them" observed the gnOme,
sit up a little higher and I'll cut your
hair" Winter sat up, and the gnome
continued: ''DO you want it left little
bit long, or shall | give you Riley cut
with the clippers?'
Leave it long enough to bang" re-
piled Winter; but take it off behind
and on the sides with the clippers"
The little t0nsOrial gn0me went to
work and cut Winters hair in the most
he said:
"ShampoO?'
eff you please" replied Winter.
So he gave Winter good hot sham
poo, and the warm water and the bay
rum that followed threw him into such
a genial warmth that he felt very sum-
merry.
How does that strike you?" inquired
the smiling gnOme. after he had put on
the golden dye and placed a glass in
Winters hand.
Itwas some time before Winter could
reply, he was so overcome with Joy. He
felt as though his age had been cut off
like a burden, and. while the bay rum
tingled on his face like the glow of
pouth, he said:
"Wait till you see me dance the
Spring-time back" So he commenced
to dance feebly, because his legs were
weary and his wind was poor, and the
tonsOral gnome, to encourage him,
placed a piece of paper over comb,
and began singing a lively air.
Il am getting all Autumn movement
on me now" said Winter.
And the merry little tOnsorial g9ome
noticed that the rejuvenated Winters
manner was gradually becoming live
lier and that the air seemed trifie
warmer.
Keep up that tune, good little ton
serial gnOme, with light and airy
touch, remover made by yourself, war
ranted to make hair grow on the bald
est head, and half thousand questions
on all sorts of uninteresting subjects:
keep up that tune, | say, and in five
minutes FL strike July.'
just then the brook melted and let
COW in, while Winter was dancing
livelier and livelier, until his feet could
scarcely be seen.
ppm feeling more Spring-like every
minute" laughed Winter. An then in
his wild joy he picked up an armful of
dry vines and plants, and as he danced
and danced, the vines and twigS burst
into blossoms, and the viOlcts, anemOneS
and arbutus filled the air with fra
GRANGE, and the wind blew them about
Winter until it wOve them into a beau
tiful airy garment, in the mutable tints
of which the sunbeAmS darted in wild
estrevelry.
II suppose l must be shaved and have
hair cut very often" said Winter, ito
keep up this songful character of
Spring"
Not at ALL" replied the gnome.
when you are awake you will be Sum-
mer. but when you dance you will be
Spring. When you lie down you will
be Autumn, and when you sleep, Win
ter. You will have long white hair and
beard when asleep, and then it will be
cold. When your hair and whiKers are
black it will be summer, and when red,
Autumn"
Then did the little tonsnrial gnome
gather his razors ana other effects and
disappear through the crevice in the
earth out of which he came.
And ever since that day our famous
United States weather has been so
sadly mixed that we have spells of
spring in the middle of winter and cold
snaps in the middle OF summer and au-
tumn.
And we can all tell whether winter
dances on the violetS, or drifts in sweet
forgetfulness within the rosy gates of
sleep, as the thermometer indicates
which garment we must wear today