Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-09-07
WHEN THE HOURS
DRIED THEIR HAIR
Or What the Doctor Discovered
In the Heat Of New York.
by JUNE GRAHAM.

breathlessly, mot all at once. please.
Yes. he took II. Bah. dear. don't
prance."
But, mother, I'm dancing for JOY
tail, ffteen-yearold Bah protested.
Hes such dear"
For how much?" asked Josephine.
briskly. ''It's worth ten with break
fast. mumsie, summertime, you know"
"But he takes his meals all out. 10.
And l let him have It for eight. He
seems such quiet person, just big
nice boy"
boy? Hasn't he a vandyke and
moustache, motherH"
"Carlotta. not so loud. No, he is
quite smooth shaver. He is doctor.
He has come on from the middle west
Indiana. think he said-to take up
a special summer course here, and he
needs quiet place TO live. with no
distractions"
She paused impress!vely to let this
point penetrate. The guilty four sur
rounded her with s0ber faces and
grave, sympathetic ey ds.
There was Bah. blonde as Christ
mas doll. and tall for her age; Joseph
Inc. demure and brown eyed. with
satin bands of dark hsir bound about
her small head. Madonna-wise. Bah
said that 10 resembled sleek young
doe. with wide surprised eyes,
Virginia came next, wondrously
gentle. and fair like Bah. All the
Vernon mischief found spring and
COUNT In Virginia's silence, and just
now she sighed. as II over the doctors
impending fate Last OF all, Carlotta
with her fox hair and fox eyes. half
closed and full OF amber glints, Car
lotta who would wear gowns OF dull
apple greens. and tenderest browns
and mauves, and look like grave.
sweet princess maiden.
1--WE won't bother him, mother
dear" said Carlotta now. kindly and
understandingly. Don't you worry"
So DR.. Arnold settled down in his
summer quarters contentedly, thank
fully. The house was one OF the old
mansions In the Washington square
district. long since turned into a select
rooming place. With four daughters to
care for and educate in her widow
hood, Mrs. Vernon had chosen this as
the most comfortable. and as Virginia
put 1t. inconspicuous way Of earning a
living in New York.
The doctor liked 1t. He was from a
small town, thriving but lacking frills.
He was past his first struggles. and
has succeeded. Ever since his inferno
days in Chicago he had longed to
spend a season each year In New
York. taking up special courses In one
branch and another. and this was the
first chance. There were no distrac.
lions, no annoyances at the Vernon
house, he found. True, in the early
morning as he passed out for break.
fast he caught sight of various young
persons, all with averted faces and
hasty footsteps.
Good morning. DOCTOR" each would
murmur. and gravely would the doc
tor acknowledge the greeting. He
wondered how many daughters Mrs
Vernon had.
Saturday afternoon there were no
classes at the clinics. The afternoons
were for home study, he had decided.
Seated by one of the long French win
dows, half hidden by cool art scrim
curtains, he beheld one very young
person sally stealthily forth into the
back garden and proceed to dry her
hair in the sun.
1t was pretty garden. small as
some toy one of Nippon. A stray bit Of
holy writ filtered airly through the
doctors mind. my love Is like gar
den inolosed."
This was a garden inclosed In high
brick walls. hidden by heavy masses
OF ivy. In the small diamond center
OF grass stood q tiny arbor, overrun
with wistaria. There were pansy beds
and mignonette borders. and low
groups OF dusky red and gold naatur-
tiums Fs-@' vtNs-3
The doctor closed his book and re-
hair in the sun. 1t was beautiful hair.
She might have been the love of the
South Wind. MY Lady Dandelion. with
that golden glory falling about her.
Her hair took on most wondrous glints
in the sunlight, the doctor unused. This
must be one of Mrs. Vernon's daugh.
ters. The youngest. possibly. Her
shoulders dropped In schoolgirl fash.
lon.
The doctor resumed his reading.
Presently when he glanced up there
We're two girls In the garden. Indus
triously and without regard for the
world above the garden, they dried
their hair In the sun.
Josephine's hair was very long. She
looked like some brown nyrnph OF the
woods when 1t fell about her. The doc.
tor became meditative, almost retro
spective. In this day Of artihciality and
pretense Il was refreshing and reas-
surfing to find here, in the heat OF New
York, such normal. beautiful crowns OF
glory. he told himself. II showed poise
Of health. Of mental and physical
health
Here Virginia stole forth, robed IN
the white garments Of a blameless life,
her long blonde curls dripping like
some Lurline of the Rhine.
you'll get your kimono all wet" ad.
10. the practical. Virginia
laid her fingers to her lips.
Mother says we must not talk. We
might disturb the doctor, girls
The doctor closed his book and laid
L on the desk. Beneath hiE windows