Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-01-31
One Advantage of
a Red Head
Copyright by American Press AssG-
citation, 1911
By F. A. Mitchell

was born with n head Of fiery red
hair As n kid l remember peonle
looking at it as they would at a burn
/ ing barn, making all kinds of illusions
TO my hair and countless jokes. many
of them very poor and in bad taste
and all obnoxious to me
When | grew old enough to have n
! sweetheart | was obliged to go with.
out one, all on account of the growth
on my head, kept it cut very short.
but without effect Just rs soon as l
came in contact with man, woman or
child saw at once that my hair was
! against me- One thing would not do
l refused all BARRIERS who suggested
my permitting them to dye it, On en-
tering their shops l would say. Hair
cut; no dye" Whenever, after this no
| tice, a barber offered to give my hair
different color l glared at him and told
him that if he repeated the offer he
must fight. I thrashed so many people
for reference to my blemish that / be-
! tdluc an expert DOAeI.
Hoping that the people of the west
were more considerate than those of
the east, went to Denver. The first
salute I received there was: Hello,
carrot top Y goin' TO set the timber
on the mountings atire|" ! had got
tired of thrashing people and turned
away without word. | sought en-
| ployment in a large manufacturing
concern. On entering the Office my eyes
! lighted on a gentleman sitting at Il
desk who had red hair for all the
world as red as mine. He looked up
and in an instant his gaze was fixed on
my top.
He arose from his chair and, ad-
vancing to the Office rail, grasped my
hand in a viselike grip.
my dear sir" he said warmly and
with respectful mien had never be
fore been favored with, what can /
do for your
I'm seeking employment"
"You shall have it right here What
can you do?"
Nothing. l must learn But I'm
willing to work without pay till do
you'll not work without pay here.
! Judging from your appearance, you
are well bred and educated. A man of
your condition can't get on with less
than a hundred dollars month. I'll
give you that and put you in our best
department. Mr.. Stamper" he called.
An employee advanced. and l MOTTO
ed he, too had a red head. He was
instructed to put me to work and on
the payroll at the same time. As l
passed through the works | noticed
every man had a red head, but none
so red as mine and the managers
Ours was the same hue exactly.
You'll be showed up ahead Of us
ALL" said the man who had taken me
in charge.
I "Why 500" | asked.
you're the only man here who has
as red hair as the president"
The words proved true. was jump
ed from one grade to another so fast
that l barely had time to learn the
duties in each. And every time l
jumped my salary jumped too.
This was not all Mr.. Flynn, the
president and principal owner, asked
me one day to come to his house to
dinner. ! went. of course and was
introduced to his family. Every one
of his children had red hair of various
shades. His oldest daughter, Emily,
had veritable Titan locks. For the
first time in my life l felt easy in
social company. For the first time not
a person about me looked at my head,
much less referred to it. Miss Emily
Flynn was very gracious to me and
was the first young woman who had
ever thus treated me so. l was happy
as a clam at high tide After dinner
she led me into Il separate parlor, and
/ spent the hours there chatting with
her They were thus far the happiest
hours of my life. / left her with a
wildly beating heart
To make n long story short, Miss
-Flynn encouraged me and | encouraged
Miss Flynn. One day she told me |
might go to her father and ask for
her. l did so and was accepted for
son-in-law with great gusto. Go back
to EN-" he said, "and tell her you
have my hearty consent, and remain
to dinner"
l spent the afternoon with Emily
and dined with the family. After din
ner Mr.. Flynn said to me:
you have shown wonderful re-
straint in not asking why | have vel
coined you into my business and into
my family The time has come for
me to enlighten you.
years ago l came to this country
from Ireland without cent ana
worked at any job | could get in
great city One day l was arrested,
accused Of stealing from Il Je" lie
had told the police that a red headed
Irishman had robbed him / was stood
in line with several other men, ana
this jew picked me out as the man
who had robbed him. was tried, and
the evidence was strong against me.
/ was about to he convicted when
red headed man strolled in among the
spectators. My attorney following a
suggestion given by the mans red