Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
oTrUMwA, wAPELLo COUNTY, IOWA
JIMMY Hair


There had been a great deal of talk
about Jimmy's hair before his mother
took him to the barber to have it cut
short like boys hair. He was three
years old and tired of being called the
baby; yet Jimmy was afraid to 90 to
the BARRIERS shop; he was afraid to
have his hair cut. His mother acted
so queer about it; she said she loved
Jimmy's soft, yellow curls, and 1t
made her almost cry to think of hav-
ing them cut off; yet she knew it must
be done.
At last the day came when mother
put her baby in his go-cart, and walk
ed with him to the BARRIERS. Jimmy
,, cried when he left the house and 1t
didn't help him bit when his father
said, Come, come, sonny, be little
man"
But he smiled through his tears the
minute father robin called, Cheer up,
cheer up" and the baby robins in their
speckled bibs sat in row on the fence
and laughed at him; anyway, mother
thought they were laughing, and that
made Jimmy laugh. He had forgotten
to smile. though, when the go-cart stop
ped IN front of the BARRIERS shop, and
his mother lifted him out. Jimmy
could climb out of the go-cart himself,
but he didn't feel like climbing out
in front of the BARRIERS shop that day,
and he did feel ready to cry again.
However, Jimmy was brave boy,
and not a great baby, SO he walked
into the shop without tear, although
his face was sober and he did not let
go his mothers hand. There was q
little girl waiting in the shop with her
mother, and she did not look bit
frightened.
"Who is next?" inquired the bar
Der, as he turned around to look at
the little girl and her mother, and jim.
my and his mother.
Jimmy pointed toward the little girl.
squeezed tight against his mother and
almost cried. The little girl did not
cry, though. She went with little hop
ping steps toward the barber, remind
ing Jimmy of mother robin when she
was about to feed cherry to her chill
dren.
up she goes!p exclaimed the bar
bel as lie lifted the little girl into the
chair, and up she went, laughing.
How do you wish her hair cut?" in
| quired the barber, as he tied sheet
around the little girl that covered ev-
cry speck of her except her head.
! Dutch cut!" answered the little
girl, quick as wink, and Dutch cut"
agreed her mother.
The little girl sat looking in a big
mirror so the little boy could see her
face when the barber began cutting
her hair, snip, snip, snip. snip!" 1t
was extremely quiet in the room, not
sound to be heard except the snip
snip, snip.snip." of the barber S
shears. The little girl sat perfectly
still; she didn't even squirm when the
barber cut the hair over her ears, and
behind her ears. The little boy could
see for himself that that wonderful
barber knew how to cut hair, and not
touch little girls ears with the sharp
side of his shears. There was no rea-
son why the little girl should squiDm
or be afraid while locks of hair kept
falling over the sheet to the snip
snip, snip-snip" of the shears.
The little girl was not afraid. After
while the little boy noticed that she
was looking at him in the glass, and
then she smiled at him, happy smiles
| that came and went as the barber kept
snip-snipping with his shears, stopping
tnow and then to blow the hair from
her neck and to brush it off the sheet
What do you think was the first
thing the little girl said when the bar.
! Der had finished cutting her hair? She
walked over to Jimmy's mother and
said
Is your sweet little baby boy or a
I. girl?"
/ Jimmy answered for himself prompt
/ ly, Il am boy!"
Then it is a good thing you have
come to have your curls on said the
merry little girl, because now you
look 'zactly like girl"
Just then the barber said "Next?'
and Jimmy walked toward him
straight as straight could be to have
his curls cut off, so he would look like
a boy. He did not cry, either.
! Let me stay and see the little boy
have his hair cut?" said the little girl
/ to her mother, so they stayed.
up you go, my little man." said
the barber to Jimmy, and up he went
into the high chair. The barber put
a sheet around him. all but his head
1t was extremely still, but Jimmy did
not cry. Soon "snip-snip, snip-snip.'
went the BARRIERS shears, and of fell
Jimmy's soft. yellow curls; and then
1t was Jimmy's mother who felt like
crying. but she did not; and when she
noticed Jimmy's face in the glass, he
smiled at her and she smiled back
After Jimmy's hair was cut and his
mother was gathering up the precious
curls to save. the little girl said to
him, Now you look like boy, and
anyway, you were not cry baby"
From that day to this no one else
has ever again said to Jimmy's moth
er, is your baby boy or girl?" and
Jimmy is glad he had his hair cut be
cause. after ALL it was nothing.
Clara West - Halloween in