The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-12-07
THE
SORREL WIG
BY ELIZABETH WEED

death and cared for me. She said !,
was because she was lonely, her son
being a sailor and away from her
nearly all the time, and that / was
very good to stay with her and all
that. 1t was no use to combat her as
10 this, and | saw that to remind heI
continually Of my obligation distressed
her. so ! let her have her say in the
matter. She was funny little body,
full of crotchets, and one must humor
them.
shortly before Mrs Cruikshank took
me In her son Albert sailed on voy-
age, to be gone three years. l was
seventeen then, just the age to be
thinking of a lover, and his photo
graph hanging in the parlor caught my
fancy. 1t represented a boy of eight
cen in sailor costume, his collar rolling
away from bis neck, his hair tumbled
and frank. fearless face. The old
lady never tired of talking to me about
him and one day said to me-
IF you'll be a good girl and stay
with me till he comes back, perhaps
III give him to you'll you want him."
I smiled at this way of putting 1t and
told her that any girl who wouldn't
want such fine looking fellow as that
wouldn't deserve TO have a husband
at all
When the time came round for Bert
to be coming home he wrote his moth
or that he had been promoted to be
first mate and he hoped it wouldn't be
long before he would have a ship Of
his own. His mother read me this part
of the letter with every appearance
that she considered me interested in
II on my own account, and didn't dis
turb her in her opinion.
AS bad luck would have it, several
months before Bert's return was at
tackled by a fever which nearly ear
rled me of. If was obliged to Mrs
Cruikshank before the obligation was
now increased a hundredfold, for she
hung over me as IL l had been her
own daughter and the only one at that
Alasl When the fever left me il
took my hair with il. leaving me as
bald as billiard ball. True. my hair
began to grow again and Just before
Albert's arrival was about half an
inch long all over my head. could
see that this troubled Mrs. Cruikshank
immensely, for my hair was my most
attractive feature, and without 1t at
least considered myself very home,y
girl. She declared that | was more
attractive than ever. but since my loGs
troubled me 1t must be hidden till the
hair grew again to its wonted length
would wear a wig.
Mrs. Cruikshank went to the city
one day to procure the article and
came home with one whose color was
unique. The nearest word by which
TO describe il Is sorrel | told the good
lady that 1t was beautiful, which com.
forted her greatly. for she said 1t had
been offered to her for half price and
she feared the reduction was owing to
its color assured her that II match.
ed my complexion exactly.
BY the time Bert arrived I was up
and about. Every now and then
would catch sight of myself in a mir
ror and would be astonished. even
shocked, at my appearance. My pallor
was heightened by my wig, and the
appearance was like an old woman
who had been trying TO make herseis
look young But refrained from say
ing derogatory word to the mother
OF the boy whom was to attract In
deed. / pretended to be very much
pleased with myself
The result was what might have
been expected Mrs. Cruikshank had
mentioned me i'm her letters to her son.
commenting me for beauty, and had
unfortunately spoken of my "tresses"
as my chief physical attraction. When
he met me he was so astonished at the
color OF my head covering that his eyes
were glued 70 it in fixed stare. Then
he shook hands with me. but there
was no warmth In his grip II was
plain to both his mother and me that
he had met with a great disappolnt.
ment.
After remaining at home a few days
submitting to his mothers caresses he
made an excuse to get away to the
city, saying that he must go on bust
ness for the ship. l could see that his
mother was greatly disappointed at the
Ill success OF her plan for keeping him
at home by Offering me as an attrac-
ton. He said he would be away
month, and on bis return would sail
again. His mother resigned herself to
what she could not help. and we wer,
left alone.
One night when we had gone to bed
there came a rap at the front door
Getting out OF bed / donned a dressing
gown and without putting on my wig
went downstairs with lighted candle
to see what was wanted. Opening the
door there stood Bert.
As at our first meeting his gaze was
fixed upon my hair, but now my own
hair, and instead Of disappointment ]
saw admiration. My hair is naturally
kinky, and il was now long enough to
stand In little ripples.
For heavens saker he exclaimed.
What's become Of the sorrelT"
burst into a laugh, and called to his
mother that her boy had returned.
Bert's manner toward me was con-