The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-15
BY A HAIRS BREADTH.

" ANih tit NAi'ASN -NtN7-N
John Graham ought to have been hap
p man. but, strange to say. he was not.
Two months ago the mere fact that he was
walking down State Street with Mary
Munsell would have been JOY uuspeakablc.
But th7t was two months ago. and today
this was not enough. He desired ether ard
greater privileges.
The distance between them was not
great. literally. as they walked along. In
fact, they often, and perhaps purposely on
his part, touched elbows. But TO John
they seemed to be separated by an i'm
penetrable insurmountable wall. The OBJ
stacle was. however nothing so extensive
rs a wall. but it was quite as material.
II was ''toupee.'
How John cursed the day when he had
been tempted TO don the thing. Better far
if he had made her acquaintance and paid
his addresses to her, bald as an e. shell
as he was. Then he might have least
courted her with clear conscience and
without the moral obligation of coifesoing
10 the fraud. of the soft ambrosial locks
which surrounded his handsome face.
John was not coward; he was not in
the least faint hearted upon ordinary occa-
sions. but he felt that never in his life had
he been obliged to face a situation so trag-
IL. 50 CRITICAL. HOW often ndu tue lIOuShi
OF that wretched wig deferred MIN, when
an eloquent avowal was ready to burst
from his lips. A man in a wig was so ri
diculous. Any other iniirmity would have
been less Objectionable. For instance, he
thought he might have owned 10 tdlse
teeth with better grace.
Sometimes he resolved to keep silent on
the subject. and win her under false eolors
if he could, which in his humble alteration
and modest self-depreciati0n he deemed
hardly possible. Then would come the hor-
rihie thought that after they were married
the dread disclosure was bound 10 come.
She would never have confidence in him
after that. Mary was the soul Of frank
ness herself. and had lofty. almost Quixoric
notions of truth and honor
But then, to preface a declaration Of af-
lection by the announcement that he was
bald was simply ridiculous. and try as he
would, John had never been able to in
troduce the subject casually. Much as he
dreaded it. he often tried to lead up to it.
Many times he had imagined himself say
ing in the most careless fashion:
oh by the way, did you know that l
Weir 'tOupee?' terrible attack of ty-
phoid, left me with the merest fringe of
hair, and it has never come on again. Odd
isn't it,
But he never said it. He was always la
by some trivial occurrence which
his reluctance and sensitiveness made
sufficient cause for pOstpOnement of the
dreaded confession. This very day he had
had such an excellent opportunity to make
the break. They had stopped before a
street window to inspect some actor wigs,
and he had just opened his mouth when
Mary cried:
"Oh. John. look, Isn't that magnif-
~ L., I,
window woman who advertised hair re-
storer by standing there, and displaying to
the public gaze her long hair. falling like
a veil until it swept the floor. How John
hated hair restorers, He had tried every
enc on the market.
Mary inspected the splendid locks with
pleased interest Isn't it beautiful" she
said. If there is one feature OF beauty
admire more than any other. it is a fine
head of hair" and she complacenuy tuck
I'd a hairpin back in her own shining coils.
That settled John for that afternoon. The
arranged speech froze upon his
FPS, and he became silent, depressed, and
miserable
To the passers-by they were a remark
ibly handsome and Wei-mated young cou-
3le as they walked along together-John,
rect, athletic in figure, and Immaculate
y attired; Mary, smart and up-tO-date in
well-htting tailor made gown and walk
ng hat tipped ever her pretty eyes, and
'esting jauntily on her bright hair
Mary's own hair was beautiful Red |
gold or bronze. according to whether you
aw il in sunshine or shadow. it Curlei
ibout her face and neck in bewilderiug lit
lie rings. and lay against her well-shaped
lead in many braids and coils, most Gun
,ingly arranged. John thought that, I'M
oosed, il must be quite as long md splen-
lid as that of the woman in the window. !
Alas, he thought, he would never b. per-
nitted TO sec it thus. 4 wild notion seized !
lin of casting his wretched headgear away /
md falling at her feet. crying tragcally, /
Take me as | am or spurn me forcrer /
rom your presence" But he thought OF !
lis shining pate. and groaned. NO use" /
lie said. dTearily. to himself, she would !
imply laugh If | told her, and l could (
lever stand it TO have her laugh at me, |
huugh l shouldn't blame her. A man In
wig is so silly" And while she seemed |
% uuattainable, she had never appeared 81 |
lesira Bile.
To the most casual observer it was quite |
vident from their attitude that they were |
10Th gone indeed, although each was hon
silly unaware OF the depth of the others |
They had eyes and ears for I
lojhing. So absorbed was their attention |
n their own supremely interesting affair
hat, as they crossed the muddy street |
hey neither saw the frantic gestures OF |
he policeman who stood at the crossing |
or needed the clang0r of the cable car
S 1t swung around the corner. and that /
vas the reason why its admirably arrang-