The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-12
A LOCK OF HAIR.
nx klNasLEY lMELcn.
Icopyright, 1909, by American Press Assoc
ciat5anl

copyright, 1909 by American Press Asso-
ciationl
you are acting like 4 nInny, sir. ]
am very much disappointed in YOU
The words were spoken BY old Mar.
shall Humphrey to bis son hoe. who
had reached the age OF twenty-five,
which his father considered ample to
show that be was exactly what that
father wished him to be. And what
his father wished him to be was this.
( First he should be devoted 70 business
aud predisposed to carry on The con,
4 Germ hts father had built up. second,
I be should marry and bring forth a son,
through whom all this growth Of
/ wealth could be transmitted. To the
old mans chagrin, the boy would have
/ Aathing to do with the business and
showed every symptom Of becoming a
I confirmed bachelor. Since he was an
only child be was old Mr.. Humphreys
! sole hope.
( Joe Humphrey, matrimonIaiIy con.
| sidered, was like a wild animal that
needs 10 be caught aud trained. after
which 1t loves its master deyotedIy.
Leaving his father to nurse his dis
| appointment, be went I'd his beathouse.
intending to have pull IN his single
seull boat On the river just as be WINS
about to embark he saw something red
dancing on the waveiets amoug some
PUSHES near by, Getting into the boat,
he gave q couple OF strokes, seized the
red thing and drew ont . bottle of
| pickles, as be supposed. the red thing
being sealing wax covering the cork.
! II was 4 pickle bottle, but no pickles
Breaking the seal he shook out 4 card.
on which was written, Trina Whiting,
aged eighteen years. six months and
twenty days Tackled to the card with
bit of thread was lock Of auburn
hair III circular form. Below this was
Che address.
There was nothing to explain why
the articles had been placed ia the
bottle. If there had been there would
be 40 story Nature has laid num-
Der of traps 20 insure the propagation
Of the human species, but the one she
keeps for starter III difficult cases II
curiosity. By this she excltes atten-
tion. which Is held and enlarged BY ro-
nance III this case the starter was
Miss Writings card floating ii bot.
tie without a reason given. The IN
terest it excited was enhanced BIZ thel
little cIrelet Of hair.
Joe Humphrey pulled to the shade Of
some trees overhanging the river bank
and, with the card ia his hand, gave
himself UP to wonder. What did the
girl want anyway What was she
like? He had had girls ii dozens
thrown at him hy designing mothers
without feeling anything but repug
nance. There was neither curiosity
nor romance, and above aIl was want
Ing the excitement Of the chase IfE
this girl was angling for lover It was
not him especially. She might spurn
him on sight Was she pretty 81
homely. bright Or dull modest or bold |
And All the while he was coming over
these queries there lay the little cireiet
Of hair Tie touched 1t with IFS finger.
He pulled hack to the boathouse, |
climbed to furnished upper room,
where be kept writing materials, and
Enclosed the card with his own, ON
which be wrote '.Esoked up this
day 81 -, 100. Cast your bread On
the waters, and 1t shall be returned
to your an hundredfold'
TT Na4a 4S4sa Il NannnFxraI 3TsswFfna "a
card with the inscription. Better one
gold dollar than a hundred copper PEN
Mes
His reply; mo puny gold dollar rep
resents the writer. He may rather be
likened to a big silver coin. Your
circhet Of golden hair may have sug
gested your smile.
Her reply: eTfs Sit the gold have
His reply: Il have only a heart Of I
oak
That was the beginning Of the end
The correspondence went on. Miss
Whiting finally explaining that she
was poor girl with stepmother and
no enc to love her. She had sent her
card adrlft hoping that It might change
her life and make It happier Supple.
mentary 70 this Humphrey informed
her that he was . poet whose verses
were too far above The market 20 be
acceptable 70 publishers. but be thought
TINT together they might be happy il
each others love ii cottage and
asked permission 10 call It was grant
ed and he net the gIrl ID a small /
house en- 4 country road She was
dressed h calico. and he wore g wool