Evening star., 1898-10-15
A LOCK OF GOLDEN HAIR

When he called upon her the other even
ing he removed his topcoat with no ap-
parent thought of the breakers ahead. He
| appeared to be cheerful and happy, and
| he did not look like man who led a dOu-
bic life. He seemed to be quite oblivious
| of the three hairs that stuck to the left
| lapel of his Tuxedo They were about q
foot long, crinkly and very light in color
almost peroxide blonde, in fact. Now, the
hair of the one girl. his fiencee upon whom
he was now calling, wearing this triple
badge of peroxide infamy-her hair was q
glossy dark brown-almost black. His cwn
hair was crisp, wavy black, or almost
black.
was removing his hat and topcoat in the
Vestibule, and they were still dallying with
trlvialitfes as she led the way into the re-
ccption room. 1t had been rather dark in
the Vestibule. 1t was very light in ner re-
ceiving room.
fo ou are fully three-quarters of an hour
late, she was saying as he sat down in
MS regular chair, which was not placed
more than two geographical miles from Eer
chair, You will be good enough 20 eX-
plain. sir"
She got no farther. Her eyes were fixed
upon the left lapel of his Tuxedo, and the
light went out of her features. He fidn' t
notice the change in her expression. Iden
are obtuse.
Why, / met one of my old classmates, ~
ne started to say. but she was already pick
ing the three tell-tale hairs from his left
lapel.
Never mind your old classmate," said
she IN harder tone than he had ever
heard from her before. You will be good
ehcush, at once, to explain the meaning of
these
She held up the three very blonde hairs
IN the light, between her thumb and fore
Hnser. He started when be saw them. His
face went red and his chin sunk. He
looked hangdog and guilty. She regarded
MIN with mingled expression of sadness
ana anger. Her expression seemed to arouse
MN TO the necessity of meeting the crisis.
lie looked up and gave a short, dry, false
ringing laugh.
ON, thcse?" said he, with rather a sick
ly grin. Why, those are my own hairs
She studied him carefully for fully thirty
seconds before she spoke
our own hairs?' said she, in harder
tone than ever. you will at least do me
the honor to suppose that [ an not IN in
Iaht in arms, or. having passed that stage
that L am not an entire natural. If you
must resort to falseho1d, why be so fla
grant-so shameless? | have never credit
ed you with being a Talleyrand-yet
really expect something better than that
from you. Your own hairs? Surely, you
have not been drinking? Or have YOU
suddenly become insane?"
He regarded her sulkily as she spoke He
looked sulen as he replied:
Nevertheless, they are my own hairs
Again she studied him very carefully, rot
IelaXlng her mold, between thumb ana fore
finger on the three tell-tale hairs
since L have known you, l do not re-
can that you ever shirked the truth be-
1ore, she said. Why shrk it now?'
He looked more dogged than she had
ever seen him when he made answer.
Il am not shirking anything" said he
Il simply tell you that those are my Cwn
hairs You confess that 1 never lied to
all T 1,-;..z
my own hairs.
Her eyes filled. Here they two stood upon
the verge of a cataclysm. She gave the
usual little dabs at the corners of her eyes
chief
1T is so humil-iating" she gasped "to
be mace f-f-fool of, especially by one
who"
or course he couldn't stand this. The
edge which the world of femininity has
upon the universe of masculinty consists
IN unciogSed lachrymai glands. But did
TINS Vicious young man spring to her side
ana with comforting, reassuring words at
tempt to assuage her grief, disspate her
doubts, and at the same time square him
self as 1t were? No, he did not Instead
he leaned back in his chair and chuckled
ana chortled and howled with mirth and in
general acted like crazy man. This con-
Duct stopped her tears instanter and she
looked at him with wrathful astonishmenr
Why. what do You mean, sir?'' she asked
him. He looked at her admiringy.
Ha! Ha! You lCok perfectly glorious
when you stand that way-Lady Macbeth
and all that, you know he chuckled. I've
always known you were princess but
never saw you look so imperious before,
II l could only have a portrait of you is
you stand"
This goes rather too far" said the young
woman, with great dignity. Il have a
right to expect you to offer me some ex-
planatiOn of your manner tonight, before
we become simply friends again, even if
that be possible"
He controlled his unseemly mirth and
spoke to her
Those hairs" he said, pointing to them
she still held them between her thumb and
forefinger. Il told you they were my own
Thereby insulting whatever intelligence
l may possess-yes,' she replied.
He fell into another paroxysnl Of mirth
but quickly commanded himself.
Il told you they were my own hairs" he
resumed Well, they are
He pulled long. faded, white envelope
from his breast pocket. Opening the flap
of the envelope, ne pulled from it strand,
about foot long, of yellow, golden hair
the same length and color of the three
teii-taie hairs she had picked from the lapel
of his coat. Attached to the strand Of hair
by little bow of narrow blue ribbon was
a faded white card, and upon this card was
some writing that had turned to brown
You, of course, know my mothers hand
writing? inquired the young man, looking
up at the girl with smile.
"Of course she replied.
Read this card" said he, handing her
the strand of hair
Georges hair. when he was two years
old, December 3, 1872 " read the girl from
the card.
Thus they We're reunited.
Just wanted to see if you were jealous
that's the reason why | put those three
hairs on my coat said the concelted youth
about fifteen minutes later. "Of course
I've known right along that you are hope
lessy in love with me, but"
"Coxcomb." said she.