The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-07-01
MOTHERS HAIR PRESERVATIVE.
BY THE REV. ]. +. COWAN.

BY THE REV. J. +. COWAN.
Been to the store, Jim?
Yes.
What y got tied up7
You go along and tend your own
business. l amt going to tell.
Well, it looks like a bottle any
way. If you don't tell me, I'll go
and put the boys on to the bottle of
ale.
Well, then, you'll tell them a lie,
TOR it amt ale.
Well, then l guess it's soda water.
No, it amt soda water.
Then it's mineral water.
No, it amt that.
Then | guess it's cod liver oil.
No, there amt no one to our
house got consumption.
Then | give it up.
Well, then, I'll tell you. It's a
bottle OF Hair Preservative to keep
mothers hair from turning gray and
falling out. | don't believe l should
mind having gray hairs halfso much
as she does, but | know | wouldn' t
want mine all to tall out and leave
me bald headed.
Oh, ho! called out the other boy.
Whats's making her get gray? I've
heard that worry does it. Worry
over your badness, I'll bet
Huh! better take that to yourself.
Then the boys separated and went
their ways.
But the boy who first spoke did
take the first words of the other to
himself. He couldn't help thinking
to himself, as he went down the
street, what he had just remarked
about worry making gray hairs, and
wondering if some of these days he
should have to be Juggling home a
a bottle from the drug store, con-
tanning hair preservatiye, to keep
his mothers hair from growing
gray.
If | do, he said to himself with a
shrug of his shoulder, | don't want
that Jim Ashton to catch me at it;
for just as like as not he'd up and
say, l told you so; worrying over
your badness!
Then he walked little farther, in
a meditative sort Of way, cutting the
head off daisy with his stick here,
and jabbing it into the ground after
a tumble bug who was scrambling to
get out of his way there, but think
ing neither of the daisy nor the
tumble bug.
Finally he stopped, and squared
his back around against the fence.
| wonder, he quizzed himself, if it
is worry that makes peoples hair
grow gray7 For if is is, then l
know a wav to keep mothers from
getting SO, that's better than any
thing in the drug store.
He went home determined to keep
his word. And he did it He slip
ped around into the woodshed, and
split a whole armful of the incest
kind of kindline, finished the job by
shaving off handful of long feath
cry shavings, and this he tucked
into one end OF the wood box, which
he quickly filled with seasoned
wood.
Then he called his mothers atten-
ton to it
Oh, Pm so glad she said. was
just going to worry about your for,
getting it. as you usually do, and
father finding it out after he came
home; but now III have that off my
mind.
Then the boy slipped around
behind the woodshed door, and
grinned and chuckled, and rubbed
his hands together, as though he
were enjoying something hugely.
Ha, ha! he said to himself. First
dose of Mothers Hair Preservative
Shake up we'll and apply frequently.
And then he went off to find his
sister Susan.
See, here, Sue, he called to her
confdentially, you aren't going to
dilly daily and poke around about
those dishes this evening, are
you?-and make mother come out
to the kitchen half dozen times,
and ask you when you are going to
get done2
What business is that of yours!
Susan answered, little sharply.
Because if you are? said he, I'm
Just a-going to
Just a going to what, I'd like tc
know? Susan demanded, with {
little more asperity in her tone.
Why, said Tom, with the utmos
good nature, Pm just a-going to
come out and help you myself.
You help wash the dishes? IL
like to see you!
Well, see if l don't then.
1t Susan was little slo Her thai
usual that evening, it must have beer
lust to test her brothers threat
And, sure enough, he did come
and helped her though SO gooe
naturedly and SO cleverly that h
was surprised more than little.
Tom, she said, what kind of a jok
| is this you are playing on me?
The joke amt on you, said Tom
it. on mother.