The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-10-12
N1inna's Curl

passing and REFRESHING the women
looking for bargains. the men solicit
Gus only as to how much They SHOULD
spend. Leigh ptman came along
stopped before Alinna's booth aud
stood with bis arms resting on her
counter looking into her face
And her face was well worth looking
into. not only for Its eomeliness, but
for the character depicted there Min
ma was high bred dame and . beau
ty. Her glory was her hair TIL she
was eighteen she had worn it in a long
braid down her back now that She
was twenty-four il formed whirlpools
and puffs ana waterfalls in accord
ance with her whins OF the creative
genius Of her hairdresser.
If her hair was AIinna's glory, there
was that which was the glory Of her
hair. This was a beautiful curl which
emerged from behind her ear and
dropped over her shoulder Minna's
curl was the envy Of her girl and
the admiration of her men friends. II
the curl was intermingled with the
rest OF her hair il was missed, and she
was bothered with questions as 70
what had become Of it Therefore at
last she never appeared IN company
without it.
eWhat can | sell YOU, Mr. PitInanY
she asked enticingly
Pitman looked over the articles dis
played deprecatingly, then raised his
eyes.
There's only one thing in tile lot
want be said
eAnd that issH
Your curt
NONSENSE Here Is a pineashion
Just the thug for your dressing table
Beautifully trimmed; real lace Don't
you want itY'
mo, / want the curl
Minna tossed her head, but she WAS
seized with an idea Of entrapping the
young man into paying high price for
her curl He had money. and the
church needed money.
How much will you give for itY'
she asked.
oh, you wouldn't sell i"
cry me and see"
Il will draw you my check for a
thousand dollars
AIinna thought moment, then, tax
Inc lip i pair Of scissors. she cut oft
the curl, wrapped It carefully IN tissue
paper and put It in long, narrow boN
that had held fan Then, laying il
on the counter before her customer
she said
"a thousand dollars please
I Without the slightest hesitaney Pit
man took out a pocket check book
called for pen and ink wrote the
check. handed it TO Minna. picked up
his purchase bade her Good evening
and walked away
Minna stood looking after him
What was he going to DO with her
curl? What could he do with I'll
| why, nothing. He had bought It IN a
spirit Of mingled brayado and gaI.
iantry Her side of the transaction
was perfectly practical She had gain
ed for the church q thousand dollars.
4 HUtEttt WIN AAN Nt44Nt lfl0ANNAN VI AAil
fair would pay its debt
AT the next reception Minna attended
ii was noticed that her curl was miss
ing. Since she had made secret Of
its sale, she was besieged with ques.
lions. A knot Of young people were
clustered about her bantering her rs
to what she had done with 1t, when
strange thing happened Leigh Pit
man came sauntering across the room,
and pinned to his coat collar long,
glossy curl fell lovingly over his shout
der. There was an explosion Of laugh
ter on the part Of Minnas friends,
while Minna turned red as 4 rose.
From that time forward at every So
eial gathering. at parties, receptions.
balls, Minna's curl half encireled Pit
mans neck, suggesting the embrace Of
her own white round arm Minna her,
self was d target for all the wifticisms
Of the bright people and the blunder-
ing contretemps of the fools. She stood
It till she was worn out then wrote
Pitman, offering TO buy back her curl.
| He replied that it was not for sale.
Minna then wrote asking what she
could do to get possession Of it Pit
man replied that the only way he could
suggest would be for her to marry
him, use the privilege Of wife to get
her hands on 1t and place it where 1t
would do no harm
Minna made no reply to this propo-
sal. The social season was ut an end.
4 and the curl was not likely to trouble
her. at least not 50 much But the
next winter Pitman appeared al the
first assembly bah with his curl over
his shoulder and the girl on whose
head Il had grown knew that size had
the prospect of another winter Of ban
ter she withdrew from society
This had no effect upon rihnan who
wore bis curl constantly and Minna,
| who had as many friends Iii Her 10.
tirement ais In society heard constant
Il Of the young mans doings. At last
she sent for him to come and see her
Why do you persist in keeping up
this disagreeable foolery when you
know how ! suffer by itY She asked
And why DO you persist IN refusing
10 repossess yourself of your curl
when have shown you way2 Has Il
4 nat occurred is Won thar 1T Is very