Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-12-02

| IN the ways OF the world.
But about my hair said Edith irrele
vanity. "Unless can match ii 50 as IL
wear It in two long plaits down my back a
la Marguerite know have so little
hair of my own--I shall certainly not go to
Duchcroft, and them
Beth looked up inquiringly.
"Then WHAT"
"Mr. Courtenay will be so disappointed,
because, you see, he IL a great admirer OF a
beautiful head OF hair He was the one
who first suggested the idea to me of going
in the character of Marguerite. II was the
other afternoon when he was calling here,
and as you left the room he spoke about
your magnificent plaits aud said you were
An ideal Marguerite. Then he asked me
why didn't wear my hair like yours. or
course men know nothing about the
fashion, but promised him would 90 to
the ball with my hair In braids, and also
urgent request. Aren't you aatteredP"
A sudden agitation sprang to Beth's
face--swift, vivid flash she could not re-
strain--and then came quick, new light,
ness 10 her sweet blue eyes.
Philip had requested she should gol
How sweet it was! How her girlisb heart
throbbed with the new thought Then she
smiled and shook her head In such a matter
OF fact way that Edith never could have
guessed, IN thousand chances, the storm
OF emotion that had rolled over her
Mr. Conrtenay Is very kind and thought
full; but you know ! have had no intention
whatever OF going. would like to go;
butt
Eyes, understand the odd, old story
that Miss McFlimsey can sing so well.
That should not stand In your way, Beth;
because, II my memory serves me right,
you have a pale green crepe that you got
before your father died II would do adj
mirably for ndine, and with your mag
nilicent golden hair floating loose over
your shoulders, you would look the char
acter to the life."
A little ecstatic delight showed on Beth :
face as she cried, eagerly:
II do believe | could wear It, and am
afraid do want to gol'
And just that very minute for the first
time, it occurred to Miss Bradford that
perhaps the attraction for Ruth Thornton
was Philip Courtenayl
A look OF jealous anger darkened on her
handsome face; then companion feeling
Of hard, jealous fury filed her heart, as
she remembered, AS bya revelation, dozen
little admiring words Beth had said of
him, a dozen little looks she had seen Mr..
Courtenay give Beth, and dozen com
mandatory things he had said of her and
especially of Ter wonderful hair.
Edith's cold blue eyes rested on the
great FURNISHED plaits hanging over Beth
shoulders until their curliag slken ends
swept the floor, with an expression of bit
ter hatred and envy. The thought sud
denly occurred to her how gladly she
would put shears TO that crown of glory
and crop close to the graceful head, and
with the thought a cruel plan entered her
brain whereby she might destroy this girls
greatest beauty and further her own selfish
desires at the same time.
UNLESS you are conscientiously opposed.
dear" she remarked, softly dropping her
long lashes to hide the look of wicked ex-
ultation in her eyes, "what want to say
is that If you are willing to stay at home
have proposition to make which may
suit your tender little conscience. Let me
cut Off your long braids, Beth, and | will
give you a hundred dollars for them.
which will be certainly of more practical
benefit in helping to restore your mothers
eyesight than the possession of such a mop
Of hair can fasten the plaits to a comb
under the peasant cap | wear, and as they
match my hair perfectly no one will know
but what they grew on my own head.
There's plan for you to accept or reiectp'
Edith raised her white lids to watch the
changes in Beth's sweet, mobile face
changes she saw, but was not sure she
could translate.
While Beth sat there. with great thrills
of keen, sharp agony at thought of losing
her woman's crown, of yearning desire to
go where he" would be, where he would
see and admire her glorious wealth of
golden tresses-then, pitiful qualms of con-
science stricken pain, that she was SO weak
and selfish as to hesitate second time be-
tween her vanity and the almost certainty
OF giving back to her poor mother the
blessing or sight; then one brief struggle
then victory
Certainly, you can have my hair she
faltered bravely, with pitiful white face.
and thank you thousand times for your
generosity"
Her generosity Miss Bradfords con
science gave her tweak of sharp remem-
brance, as though 1t had said-her supreme
heartless, cruel, treacherous selfishness.
But her end was accomplished and that
was all she desired. Beth would no longer
her browning beauty.
shall | have the village barber cut nv
hair when 20 home this EVENING"" Beth
asked after pause, in which she had sub
dued "A suspicious lump in hei throat.
Dear me, nor cried Edith, starting
hastily to her feet. "He would be sure to
snin it with his bungling. If YOU will
come up to my dressing room, Beth, will
cut it myself"
Without word Beth rose and followed
Miss Bradford up the stairs, striving val
lantly to keep back the tears which would
well up in her sweet blue eyes at thought
OF the coming sacrifice.
sit down in that low chair by the win
dow" Edith commanded briskly, "while
get a PAIR OF scissors from my work basket. -
The thick, caring ends of Beth's glossy
plaits touched the floor as she sank into
the designated seat and bowed her golden
head to the cruel blades.
Edith's cold, blue eyes shone with ma
lcious satisfaction as she grasped one OF
the thick plaits and thrust the slim blades
into the sl!ken locks underneath. She
sheared IL OIL close to the scalp and tossed
II on To the toilet table at her side She
smiled grimly as she turned and seized the
other plat, cropping it off with a savage.
grinding snip, and another and another
This was placed beside its several mates.
and then she paused to survey her work.
The long woven locks in iioa. uroke natu.
rally intoain mass of shining curis altogether
too pretty and bewitching, Miss Bradford
decided, and SO the merciless scissors were
again applied, and the thick curls fell in a
silken mass to the floor, leaving Beth's
wretehed little head as close cropped as a
convict's.
"1ou will probably have to wear u close