The Washington herald., 1915-01-06

Its pretty curl-er, hyaway. daddy"
Where did you get it?" sternly.
Il found it, evasively.
"Where?''
Garden
We'll, of all the amazing things" COM
mented his father, taking the long siIkcp
curl that cIuIs to his fingers in the most
annoying manner. Some little <.rl has
lost her curl, Sammy: and il is entirely
too pretty to use for the tail of a kite
A little girl with hair that color would
be very peppery tempered little girl,
and woe unto US If she should ever
discover US with her curl"
He smiled as he folded the curl care
fully and tucked it into his notebook.
Sir
Here was a peppery tempered voice
indeed. TIE professor turned mild eyes
upon the speaker.
She had advanced upon them from Oe-
hind the treeS and she was a veritabIc
GOldilOcks. albeit her hair was a shower
of red-goIden curls that hung far be-
low her waist. She wore a faded lawn
frOck. and about her neck was tied a
huge bath towel
Sir she repeated. her lovely face
pink with Indignation, do you know
what that awful little boy has done?"
Here Sammy. knowing that retribu-
tion was close upon him. found refuge
in tears.
1T made an awful pretty nyaway
and she's got millions more of EN-"
he walled.
Prof. Irving had struggled to his
feet. his puzzled face partaking OF the
embarrassment that clouded his sons.
What do you meant" he asked. What
has Sammy done?"
That she pointed tragicalIy to the
curl.
Slowly Sammy's father opened the
book. took out the dainty siIken curl
and regarded it with bewildered eyes.
His gaze wandered to the shower of
golden-red curls. to the lovely face be-
meath. with wide. soft brown eyes, to
the powdering of golden freckles across
her pretty nose, back to her wonderful
eyes.
My curl. if you please" she demand
ed haughtiIy.
Il am very sorry for what Sammy
has DONE" said the professor gently.
You see, We have been making a kite,
and l sent him up to ask my house
keeper for a bit of ribbon for the end
of the tail-we needed a gay fiyaway.
He brought this back. He said he found
it in. the garden. 1 put it away for
safe keeping" Still. he did not give
her the curl.
Sammy found it in the garden, but
not in his own garden" said the girl.
with eyes suddenly brimming with
laughter. 81 had been washing my
hair and was drying it in the rectory
garden. l was sitting on the grass.
sewing. when suddenly | missed my
scissors. Just as l turned to search for .
them 1 felt a tug and heard a shipping
sound-and Sammy was running away
with one of my curls,'
Sammy bawled Justify and burrowed
his head under his fathers arm
I'm sure l don't know what to do
Sammy's father at last. Il
am sure he really didn't mean to steal
your curl Well. really. anything l can
say seems very inadequate because the
curl cannot be replaced-and er-It was
A very lovely curl he added regretfuIly
The girls eyes danced and the diTnples
deepened in her cheeks. 1t was as
Sammy had said. she had plenty more
cUrls and he had taken 1t from a place
where it would never be missed. The
vision of this great. grave-looking man
and the wee laddie. both grief-stricken
over the theft Of her absurd curl. sent
laughter to her lips.
Never mind. Sammy" she said at last.
Il am sure you didn't mean to do a
naughty thing. II you will come with
me / will find you bright ribbon to a
hyaway.'
Go, Sammy" said his father solemn
". Never will you find a lady more
gracious and forgivingl'
Sammy smiled at Goldilocks and tucked
his hand in hers.
You are very kind" said the professor
Il will send him home soon,'' she
smiled. Then she turned and added: II
am the rector's niece, Miss Allen" She
went away with Sammy, and when the
two had disappeared among the trees
the professor still stood there staring
after them, with the red-gold curl twin
ng around his fingers, as the image OF its
0wneT was entwining itself about his
heart.
And the professor neglected to return
that curl to Rose Allen. In fact. he kept
i always. For said he afterward.
"a man may keep a curl OF his wife's
nairr'
Even IL he doesn't use it as a ny
iway." added Rose, as she hugged little
sammy.