The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-10-13
A LOCK OF YELLOW HAIR.
By W. BERT POSTER.

place, not to say plainest, looking of
mortals, respected member of the
Board of Trade, and a thorough bust
ness man. don't suppose any wo-
man, excepting Smollett's wife, ever
looked twice at him and yet Mrs.
Smollett was inordinately jealous, and
that without cause.
If the bridegroom had been jealous
of the bride there might have been
some apparent sense in it. But poor
old Smollett /! Why, he was as homely
as hedge fence.
Smollett is as regular in his habits
as a well regulated town clock. On
a certain dav every spring he leaves
IF hannels. and ON certain day in
the fall he puts ON overshoes Once
III every two years he has his watch
cleaned at the jewelers. The time
for regulating his chronometer came
around latel, and Smollett left it with
a jeWeler OH Broadway, in the shop
ping district of the city. Stocks were
rather shaks al that time and he had
TO be at his desk early and late to
watch matters. He couldn't find time
TO go around after his timepiece and
lis absence was always bothering him,
for be had to depend on church clocks,
a French mantel clock that was never
known to be right half a day at
time, or his wife's chatelaine, and
was always missing cars and being
late at appointments.
So dear Lydia, with the best of in
tentions, found the jewelers. ticket
and went herself after the watch.
He brought it from the safe and
said IT think it's all right, ma'am. "
He snapped the case and opened the
back of the watch to look at the
works. As he did so tiny lock of
hair slipped out on the show case.
The jeweler glanced at it and then
at Lydia. Her hair is a golden brown.
The lock which hau dropped out of
the watch was yellow.
The jeweler was a wise man he
was married himself. He glanced
sly!y at Lydia. Her eyes were fash
ing, and a red spot burned in either
cheek. She had seen the lock of hair,
but he, out of the goodness of his
heart, tried to shield the victim. He
closed the watch without putting back
the hair, and started to pack the time
piece in box.
"You have forgotten something"
said Lydia, in hard voice.
"Oh, that?" said this blessed Ana
Mas. II guess you re wrong. ma am.
That's a bit of hair a customer of
mine wants me to put in locket for
him"
II saw it Drop" said Lydia, with
a calmness that quelled the jewelers.
glib tongue. Put it back in the
watch"
He obeyed. She paid the bill and
swept regally from the store. That
is why Smollett, going home that
night after particularly vexing day,
and longing to forget business for a
few hours in the society of his charm
ing little wife, found in her place an
iceberg.
Smollett was puzzled. but made no
comment. With women. as in bust.
ness, Smollett's was a waiting game.
He always went on the theory that,
if he waited long enough, the other
fellow would show his hand. So,
after dinner, he retired to the library
with his paper.
His theory was again proved COR
rect. She soon appeared. but glance
at her face assured him that there was
little change in the weather. He
wished he had ordered James to light
a fire in the CRATE. She stood beside
the table and placed box upon it.
"Oh, thank you, my DEAR" said
the unsuspicious Smollett. I'D never
found time to go round tor it.
She made no comment, but watched
him take it out, snap it on his watch
chain and slip it into its accustomed
place in the left breast pocket Of his
vest.
"You beast You br-r ute u she
cried, tragically. and as the hurricane
of tears burst she ran from the room
and shut herself into her own apart
ments again.
Poor Smollett was thunderstruck.
He tried, in sneaking way, for the
servants were greatly in evidence, to
gain audience with his wife, but she
would not open her door, and he
spent the night on the couch in the
library and went down town next
morning in most bewildered state of
mind and with an empty stomach.
Lydia's actions so worried him that
he could not keep his mind on his
business. About noon, Charlie Paget,
an old friend and good lawyer, came
in. Charles eyes twinkled, but his
manner was solemn.
''See here, Abram," he said,
whats this l hear about your"
"What is itl" in dawning wonder
at the lawyers solemnity.
why, this trouble with your
wife," said Charlie, with the air of
funeral mute. "Abram, I never
thought it of you. / never would
have suspected that you, Abram Smol-
lett, were a gay deceiver-that you
were living double life"
Double -" Well, a word
not exactly permissible in good So
ciety. "What do you mean?" yell
ed Smollett, his homely face turning
a deep brick red.
"Be calm, Abram." said his aggra-
waiting visitor. Your wife-poor,