The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-06-27
Story Of a
Lady Killer
By GERALD GREEN

a wig. The wigmaker, a Frenchman,
measured my head and before depart
ing asked:
."Blond, noir or rouge?
I understand nothing Of any Ian
guage except American and did not
know what he, was talking about. But
there is a dislike in all persons to &C.
knowledge that they do not understand
or do not hear or cannot see. l looked
at the man as though l was deliberat-
ing on what he said, then replied:
''Oui, rouge"
This seemed to satisfy him, for he
bowed himself out without another
word.
II wonder what he said to me?' !
unused after he had gone. WAS 1t the
price he was speaking of or the time II
was to be fnished?'
found out what he had said when
the wig came III. 1t was beautiful
red l abused him for having made a
wig Of such a color, and he expostu-
lated with the usual French shrug and
gesture.
"Monsieur, ask you if you have it
blond, black or red. You say make
him red"
Seeing that had authorized the col
or, said no more, but paid for the wig
like man.. =, The price being, $25. ]
could not afford another one aud sub
jected myself to wearing It till my own
chestnut locks should reappeary .yif -.
1t was about this time that received
ani anonymous note written in wO-
mans hand. The writer said that she
had seen me on a sickbed in the hos
pital and had been impressed with my
appearance. She plastered the COM
munication over with lot Of stuff
about my intellectual, pale brow and
other features. What her object was l
did not know, but did know that
there were emotional women in the
world who are silly enough to do just
that sort Of thing.
However, since she gave me no clew
to her identity, paid no attention to
her letter, tossing it into the fire and
thinking no more about it.
When l had forgotten It married
lady friend Of mine told me that she
desired to introduce me to friend Of
hers. Il think" she said to me that,
to use slang phrase, you have made
a mash. l think the lady admires
you" -....-,,
HAS she eyer seen me?" asked.
"Of course. How could she admire
you without having seen your
"Oh! Her admiration doubtless only
exists In your Imagination" .E 81
Nevertheless I was fattered. This
was the second case Of admiration OF
which was the subject. and began
4 to feel quite Adonis-like. 1t seemed to
me, after this last conquest, that every
girl who came near me was struck
with me. l waited impatiently for
my friend to introduce me to my vic
tim, but nothing came Of it, and was
beginning to settle down to the opin-
ion that I was not, after all, lady
killer when another woman friend of
mine said to me one day:
II would like to know whether or
not you carry love potion about you"
why do you say thatY asked.
my finger ends tingling and my heart
increasing its beat. 49,.
."Oh, nothing. A friend of mine
"Well?"
"A friend of mine was going into
raptures over you the other day"
What did she have to say about
me-" ".-
II don't think that the fattering
things said, Of persons should, bs re-
peated to them any more than the dis.
agreeable things"
That is all could get out Of her.
BEs5this time l felt sure there was
something about my appearance. that
attracted the fair sex. I1stoodsb before
mirror trying To- Observation-Disclosures was
1t seemed to me that If my own black
locks decorated my head ! would be
passsbly good looking. but my sorrel |
top, \ considered. spoiled the whole.
Then, it occurred to me that these
"mashes'' had been made since had
donned 1t. and it struck me that this
must be the secret Of my success.
One evening at dinner the hostess
came to me and said she would intro
duce me to the lady who was to be my
companion at table. She took me to
one who the moment she saw me
started and shrank away from me.
noticed that her eyes were fixed on my
wig. The hostess looked at her in as.
tonishment. but the other, recovering
herself, took my arm. and we marched |
together to the dining room. Passing
mirror, saw that my face and my
wig were both very red.
My dinner companion. when seated, |
turned from me for an animated con.
versation with man sitting on the
other, side Of her. She scarcely spoke a
wOrtlstp me. during the dinner.
This treatment brought me to my
senses and fresolyed to make an III !
yestiAttion. Before l got through l
knew%more than " wished to know.
All these women who admired me
were one-my demure companion. She
had seen ME in the hospital and. being
aggressive instead Of retiring, had |
written me the anonymous letter. She
had seen me with black hair falling