The log cabin Democrat., 1909-11-22
Her Growing Beauty
By EDWARD HARRIS
Copyright, by w. G. Chapman.

| all her beautiful hair and admired
to her hearts content
Cut it off and sell it," she said re
Numbering the hairdresser's offer
I'D sooner cut my head off I'd
starve with it rather than live without
it." And she braided it into two long
plaits and went into the other room tc
get supper.
The next day she heard that Will
had gone away, and as the days
passed and no word came from him,
she reproached herself for her hasty
speech But she always rallied to her
own defense. He was too critical and
exacting, and why couldn't she think
her hair pretty without being vain?
If he had really loved her he would
have delighted in it too. If he bad
loved her he would not have STAYED
away a whole month without writing
to her either. No, he had never real.
ly loved her. They had quarreled over
her tresses and now she had lost hin,
and had only them to comfort her.
One morning all her arguments. all
the rights and wrongs of the matter.
were ended. There came letter
from a nurse in a charity hospital in
the city, saying that Will had been i'll
with typhoid fever there for two
weeks. The work that had been prom,
Used him. he had not received. 1t was
not such serious case, the letter said,
but the patients low spirits retarded
his recovery. He declared he had no
friends, but had let the name of Kitty
Owen slip out, with the name of his
town, and the nurse had written. If
his friends would get him home he
would recover, but if his low spirits con
tinued, it was hard to say how the
case would end.
Then with a great flood of feeling
that opened all the depths of the girls
nature, came the knowledge that she
loved Will Payne. That he was dear
er to her than life, that she must go
to him, save him, bring him home,
above all, tell him that she loved him
and ask him to forgive her, was her
surging impulse, but she was checked
by the thought-"How?
Il have no money" she cried de
spairingly, "Oh what shall do?" She
pressed her hands to her throbbing
temples and touched her hair and the
problem was solved.
He promised he would give me
S35 for it," she whispered as she hur-
ried along the street. Her only fear was
that the man might have changed his
mind.
But he had not. In establishment,
but eagerly, he cut it off and counted
the bills into Kittys hand. She
clutched them, and without one regret
full look at the shining strands now
the property o. the hairdresser, she
hurried away. That evening she
reached the hospital.
Il will tell him first that you are
here" said the nurse. Then Kitty
was led upstairs and into a ward
where in one of the white, iron
beds lay the pale, thin shadow Of VIII
Payne. She had meant to ask for for
giveness, but the words refused to
come, as she knelt beside him, and
he spoke first.
Kitty, how did you get here? But
I'm so glad you've come! I've
thought so much about you and want
ed to tell you how sorry | am for the
way | used 10 act to you. was al.
ways finding fault, when | ought to
have been just worshiping you, Kitty,
because | love you. When think of
you, so gay and pretty, and me so
hard and critical, | don't wonder you
didn't like me, | want you to forgive
me for saying you were vain, and to
ten you that your hair is the most
beautiful in the world and that | love
It too"
You must love it," faltered Kitty,
going to take you home to our house
as soon as you can 60" There was
a glimpse of smile behind the mist
in the girls eyes as she took or her
hat and showed her little, shorn head
to the man.
kitty" he gasped, comprehending
her sacrifice. how could you do it,"
because l love you, dear, and IL
was the only way to prove It," wills.
pered the girl, as she bent over him
and kissed him tenderly. And in the
silence that followed, they knew that
their hearts had found rest at last,
Love makes woman believe a lot
OF things that she knows are not true