Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-11-04
Three Red
Heads
Each Was Used as a
Pawn by Fate
By EDWARD c. ASTON

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
One day as I was entering court
room met q lawyer coming out
Something In my appearance attracted
his attention. I knew very well what
II was. for from childhood ! had been
used to exciting the attention Of all
who saw me. 1t was not !. but head
of hair Of a peculiar redness. Words
describe only color; they seldom sug-
gest an especial variety Of color. Mine
was Of a variety that few persons had
ever seen before. The lawyer stopped
ME with the words "One moment" and
stood looking at me. turning something
over In his mind. Presently be said:
"Your name. please"
gave II.
Come IN here"
He led me into an Office and said some
thing to a man ut desk. who hiied 10
a blank aud read me subpoena.
was ordered to be present that after
noon in the courtroom as witness.
When I appeared found that. ! was
wanted In Il trial for murder. What
astonished ne was that the accused
who was very respectable looking
man. possessed Il head Of hair the same
color as my own.
was placed beside him. and wo
man who was giving testimony was
called upon to say which OF the two
myself or the accused. was the ipaf
she had seen kill her husband. She
looked us both over with puzzled ex
preston and finally pointed to me.
The incident produced quite SeiiSa
ton In court ind naturally filled mt
with Consideration. The lawyer at once
called for the discharge OF the prisoner
which was granted. AS for me. ! wa
required to prove where ! had been al
the time Of the murder. and ! had NJ
difficulty IN substantiating the fact tina
! was not within thousand miles o.
where the deed was done.
The only feature about the maj
whose acquittal I had secured tina
fixed itself ON my memory was hi!
hair. He was between th'rty-hve anf
forty, while was not more than TWEEN
ty. Being In limbo. he had no oppor
tunity to thank me for having savet
him from the gallows. where he woult
have gone had II not been for the sim
iiarity of our hair. but ] noticed hiu
looking at me with great interest.
did not live In the place where he nat
been tried and left 1t as soon as hat
proved an alibi. So I did not see any
thing more Of him.
Twelve years passed. years that hat
not brought me success. VaR thirty
two and had not u cent In the world
Neither had wife or children .
home. | think II was the color OF IN!
hair that told against me. On apply
Ing for Al position the person to whom
went would look at my head ant
simultaneously reply. There are u
vacancies just now" And wherever
applied I received the same reception
The consequence was that from TWEEN
~ to thirty-two | was most OF the tim
nut Of employment
But the end uf this period brought
,hange. One afternoon just before tn
closing hours Of business entered
mercantile house and asked to see tn
head Of the concern. A gentleman
with coal black hair. in which Their
was. despite his fifty years, not a sin
gle gray Strand. sat at desk In pri
vate office. So great was the contras
between his and my own top adorn
ment that l was sure l would receiv
curt refusal and was about to turf
away when be lifted his eyes and saw
me. His gaze was nrst fixed on m,
head. then was directed to my coun
tenance. There was nothing for me t
do but approach him and make tn
usual request.
I'm hunting a job" l said. "I'v
been hunting one for months. Indeed
I'm 80 run down financially that In
ready to work for song"
received no reply for awhile. Tn
man sat staring at me with a strang
look in his eyes. and suspected tina
be was thinking Of something else
Without waiting for his answer I wa
turning away when he stopped me-
what can you dor he asked.
ANY ordinary work"
"Your name?"
gave 1t to him. and. taking up
check book. he wrote check for 50
payable to my order and handed It b
me. looked at It dumfounded.
II haven't earned anything yet"
Rtammered.
"You look tired and hungry" wa
the reply. Report here tomorrow
morning and you shall have job"
was 80 used to attributing my mis-
fortunes to the color Of my hair tina
I now laid my good luck to the sam
cause. had an idea that the man
action had something to do with tn
contrast between the glossiness Of hi
raven locks and the disagreeable red
ness Of mine. Probably his hat
brought him good fortune as mine hat
brought me misfortune and made hin
sorry for me. At any rate. this wa
The only Interpretation could pu
upon It
found 1t very easy to cash hi
check and spent a part Of 1t in buyinl
good dinner. The next morning
reported myself to Mr.. Marston-sucl
was bis name-and after brief con
versation. during which he questione'
me with view to learning what lin
of work I would prefer. he said tina
perhaps I had better try several dit
ferent departments successfully In Of
der to learn for which was bes