The guardian., 1940-02-17
AT the Barber
Shop
BY LILA MONTROSE
Mcclure Syndicate-WNU Service.)


the Office early one Saturday after
noon, I'm so glad you came home.
I've been delayed so, and Jerry's
hair is disgracefully long. Grandpa
Baxter is coming tomorrow-it
would never do. Be a dear and
take Jerry down to the barber's and
have his hair cut. And don't let
them shave it up the back. You
have to be very firm or they will"
"Oh, all right" said Don. "Td
planned to play golf-but all right"
There was nothing very amiable in
Don's voice, nor did he look more
amlable when his married sister
called him "a sweet angel of a
brother"
The barber shop at Ventrey's chill
dren's store was crowded as usual
on Saturday afternoon, and Don
found that he would have to take a
number at the desk and remain in
the waiting room adjoining the bar
ber shop.
Presently a portly, gray-haired
woman hustled into the room, a slen-
der young girl of eighteen or so in
her wake.
"I simply can't wait" she said,
looking appealing around the room
for sympathy. "My theater tickets.
I've ordered them for tonight, and
they'll only hold them at the box
office until four. l can't wait-and
yet'-here she looked with a sigh
at her young charge-"Maybelle
needs a bob frightfully." Maybelle
apparently was protesting that she
could remain alone perfectly well.
I'm not child, auntie," Don over
heard.
The aunts eyes had been wander
ing about the waiting room. She
caught sight of Don Baxter, eyed
him briefly through her lorgnette
and then sailed over to him.
'I'm going to ask favor of you,"
she began. Il simply can't wait
with my niece, and you look as if
you could be trusted. After you
have your little boys hair cut, will
you see that they DO Maybelle prop
erly? Don't let them use those aw-
full clippers at the back of her neck"
She sailed out toward the elevator.
Maybelle took a seat rather shyly
beside her newly appointed guard
ian.
AUNT Bernice is very nearsight-
ed, )" she said. She seemed to think
you were as old as she is" Then
there was a pause. isn't your
little boy cunning?"
They waited fifteen minutes for
Jerry's turn, and then Maybelle
followed him into the barber shop
and sat beside Don while he gave
the barber directions concerning
Jerry's haircut.
Then they returned to the waiting
room and waited fifteen minutes
more for Maybelle's turn and then
Jerry and Don went into the shop
with her to wait until she was prop
erly bobbed and singed and waved
according to instructions.
Doesn't your wife wear bobbed
hair, Mr.. -"
"Baxter-Don Baxter" supplied
Don. And then: my wife? Why,
haven't any wife" 4"
But Jerry's mother-is she
dead?"
Don laughed. His mother is my
sister. Why, I'm just youngster;
only been out of college year"
They were back in the waiting
room and had taken their seats to
await the return of the nearsighted
aunt, Mrs. Talbot. In ten minutes
came a telephone message, by
means of paging, saying that Mrs.
Talbot had had to 60 to her dress
makers. She had forgotten that she
had an appointment, and would the
gentleman be so good as to take
taxi and bring her niece down to
the Washington hotel, where the
aunt would meet her niece-for tea.
Then Don remembered that he
had arranged with his sister to meet
her at the Biltmore at tea time.
She was to be downtown and would
take Jerry off her brothers hands
then. So Don managed to telephone
to his sister asking her to change
the rendezvous from the Biltmore
to the Washington.
Don and Maybelle felt like old
friends when they entered the palm
room at the Washington where they
were to meet their respective rela-
tives. To their surprise they found
Mrs. Talbot and Don's sister already
seated.
Don, it's perfectly thrilling.
Here's mothers old friend, Mrs. Tai
bot. You've heard her speak of
Helen Talbot? | didn't even know
she was in town, and here / happen
to run into her while I'm waiting
for you"
Introductions that followed we're
rather confusing, and it was not un-
til tea was nearly over that the near
sighted Mrs Talbot became quite
clear in her mind that Don Baxter
was actually the son of her old
friend.
Six weeks later, after their first
meeting at the barber shop. Nav