Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-11-14
THE LOCK OF YELLOW HAIR.

THE LOCK OF YELLOW HAIR.
Certainly there was nothing about
Abram Smollett to suggest the gay
Lothario. He was the most common
place, not to say plainest, looking Of
mortals, a respected member of the
board of trade and a thorough busi-
ness man. l don't suppose any wo-
man, excepting Smollett's wife, ever
looked twice at him, and yet Mrs.
Smollett was mordiDately jealous.
Smollett's marriage, rather late in
life, was quite unexpected one. He
was 40, if he was day, when the pa
pers announced the surprising event.
The sly rascal had never let breath
of it out, and the very day Of the GER
emony he shrewdly "pinchsd" John
son and Joe and Ed Latelle in c., B.
and O., clearing enough to pay the
expenses of his wedding journey.
Only there WASH t any journey. No,
sir. They settled down in Smollett's
uptown house like an old married
pair. I was Smollett's closest friend,
so knew something about the match.
1t was purely marriage for love if
ever there was one, and the bride, who
was one of the daintiest, prettiest lit
tie creatures you ever saw-she was
20 years Smollett's junior-began at
once to enjoy herself by being wildly
Jealous of her homely husband.
If the bridegroom had been jealous
of the bride, there might have been
some apparent sense in it. But poor
cid Smollettl Why he was as home
ly as hedge fence.
Lydia, however, never seemed to
see this incongruity. She had loved
Smollett ever since her school days,
when he used to carry her wonderful
French dolls and smuggle pounds and
pounds of candy into the boarding
school to her, and now size thought
that of course every other woman the
poor fellow had ever spoken with must
have loved him too.
A long while ago Smollett had
partner, who died and left his daugh-
ter, a child of 10, to Smollett's care.
This daughter was Lydia, and it was
long before her guardian had even
dared think Of marrying her. 1t is
one Of the mysteries of the decade how
she ever managed to show the per-
verse fellow that she cared for him.
Well, they got along delightfully."-
for two years, excepting when Lydia
got it into her foolish little head that
Abram was spending more time in his
office that he ought and became fright
fully jealous of the typewriter, whom
she pictured in her mind as a siren of
unlimited power over the other sex.
When she made an unexpected de-
scent upon the Office, however, she
found long-legged, redheaded boy
battering the keys Of the machine, and'
the only woman on the premises was
the scrubwoman, of whom even Lydia
could not be jealous.
Smollett is as methodical in his
habits as a well regulated town clock.
On a certain day every spring he
leaves off fannels, and on a certain
day in the fall he puts on overshoes.
Once in every two years he has his
watch cleaned at the jewelers.. The
time for renovating his chronometer
came around lately, and Smollett left
it with jeweler in the shopping dis
trict.
Stocks were rather shaky about that
time, and he had to be at his desk
early and late to watch matters. He
could not find time to 60 around after
his timepiece, and its absence was al
ways bothering him, for he had to de-
pend upon church clocks, French
mantel clock that was never known to
be right half day at time, or his
wife's chatelaine, and was always miss
ing cars and being late at appoint
ments.
So dear Lydia, with the best Of in
tentions, found the jewelers. ticket
and went herself after the watch, say
ing nothing to Smollett about it. When
she presented the ticket to the jeweler,
he looked at it and then at her.
This Is a gentlemen's watch, miss.
Lydia blushed prettily. "0h, yes;
it's my husbands" she said.
He brought it from the safe and
said, ~ think it's all right, fam"