Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-05-25
A KNIGHT OF
THE BEARD
Ii Wa. to Be as His Dear Vile Wished

Augustus. | think that boards are
so distinguished-don't you-u-u-u-u-ug
And her voice so trembled in its
pleading and, when looked at my be-
loved her lin so ouivered and her eyes
so filed with the tears of her longing
that ! groaned in my spirit, for ] knew
that my fate was near at hand and
that if | should deny my hearts desire
she would peak and pine and fade
away until her tender heart would
break at last and my love would be no
more.
"Augusius," she whispered.
To which bravely made reply:
MY lover
Augustus, ! wish that you. my
sweet, would grow a beard."
And pressing my darling boldly TO
my heart raised my hand and sol
EMMY swore that never more should
razor touch my face till was bearded
like the pard and that | would ever
emulate the pirate in his business till
men should tremble at the mention OF
my name; whereat my darling kissed
me with the kiss of pride and Joy, and
thus the pact was made.
And in fear and in trembling | Jared
forth into the world the following day,
for never before had faced my fellow
men in the morning until had passed
the cleaning steel over my lathered
countenance. And my fears were all
too justified and my trembling was not
in vain. for as ] walked along the thor
oughfare it was as though | had
walked along through a gauntlet OF
eyes, large, rounded eyes. insistently
staring, bold eyes and prominent eyes
that never winked or wavered; eyes TO
the right of me, eyes TO the left Of me,
eyes all around me-and every eye
upon my unshaved beard.
Ny glance fell in shame and con-
fusion and | slinked along the pave.
"Augustus."
To which made my sorrowful. fond
reply:
My lover"
Augustus, How slowly it grows,'
pressed my darling sadly to my
heart and soothed her, for | saw that
she had expected my beard to flower
like a plant that grows beneath the
hand of the conjurer and that in few
short hours she wished TO see it toss
ing in the breeze, triumphant. fiery and
untamed And sadly then | pointed out
TO her that the grand, imperial city
was not built in day and that only
perseverance brought success in that
field of endeavor where we had thrown
our die and cast our unshaved lot.
And when the morning broke Jared
out into the world again. unshayed, I'M
shorn. and seeking the solitary places
of seclusion: but all the friends that |
had ever made and all the chance &C
quaintances that | had ever met; all,
all were there to greet me and to look
with pity and with wonder at my wee
The policeman gave me the-second
look of sharpness. and when passed
the parlors of the tonsors they pressed
their faces TO the window, melancholy,
mcurnful and full of deep reproach.
Or the cars my neighbors sat away
from me. and all day long when rising
in the elevators | was always carried
past my stated floor.
Augustus"
To which made my fond. despair
ing cry:
my Iove?"
Augustus, Can't you hurry it?"
But in sadness and in sorrow | ex-
planned to her. my love. that the exc
! cution of our plan must take its own
appointed tine and that. come heat or
f~k fro
sword. there was nothing that could
F., hasten the even tenor of its way. and
nothing. nothing. nothing that could
soften now the blow.
And the third day came, and the
third day Jared forth. looking no man
In the eye except with a fierce def
ance. At the restaurant no man would
come and sit at the table where was.
and on the streets the youth of the
land made capricornian cries, exclaim-
ing also ~Z-z-z-z-zz-z-z-z," and "Whish-
! sh-sh-sh-sh,"
Augustus"
To which l made my fond, lamen,ing
cry:
My Iove?-
Augustus, How much bearded is
the pardg"
Il do not know" stammered forth.
a great and sudden Joy fnfustnS me-
Il do not know, my love-" STAN
/ mcTed forth
a strange and fearful name. then
mused my Josephine. -and ! am SIRE
that he was bearded so. The pirate.
too. IL was agreed that Ne should emu
. late. 50 that all men Their should trem-
bic At The mention Of thy. aan1e. And
do they tremble yet. dear heart"
They treuibie exceedingly then
I. cried in my earerness. The BARRIERS
scarcely can restrain themselves. and
! WREN my friends must come AID talk