shefoundiasisurelyhadbeenmadeforjimandnooneelseherewasnooherlikeiinanyofhesores,andshehadurnedallofheminsideouiwasapinumfobchainsimpleandchaseindesign,properlyprocimingisvaluebysubsancealoneandnobymerericiousornamenaion—asallgoodhingsshoulddoiwasevenworhyofhewachassoonasshesawisheknewhaimusbejim’siwaslikehimquienessandvalue—hedescripionappliedobohwenyonedolrsheyookfromherfori,andshehurriedhomewihhe87censwihhachainonhiswachjimmighbeproperlyanxiousabouheimeinanycompanygrandashewachwas,hesomeimeslookedaionheslyonaccounofheoldleahersraphaheusedinpceofachain

whendelreachedhomeherinoxicaiongavewayalileoprudenceandreasonshegoouhercurlingironsandlighedhegasandwenoworkrepairingheravagesmadebygenerosiyaddedolovewhichisalwaysaremendousask,dearfriends—amammohask

wihinforyminuesherheadwascoveredwihiny,closelyingcurlshamadeherlookwonderfullylikearuanschoolboyshelookedaherreflecioninhemirrorlong,carefully,andcriically

“ifjimdoesn’killme,”shesaidoherself,“beforeheakesasecondlookame,he’llsayilooklikeaconeyisndchorusgirlbuwhacouldido—oh！whacouldidowihadolrandeighysevencens？”

a7o’clockhecoffeewasmadeandhefryingpanwasonhebackofhesovehoandreadyocookhechops

jimwasneveredeldoubledhefobchaininherhandandsaonhecornerofheablenearhedoorhahealwayseneredhensheheardhisseponhesairawaydownonhefirsfligh,andsheurnedwhieforjusamomenshehadahabiforsayinglilesilenprayerabouhesimpleseverydayhings,andnowshewhispered:“pleasegod,makehimhinkiamsillprey”

hedooropenedandjimseppedinandclosedihelookedhinandveryseriouspoorfellow,hewasonlywenywo—andobeburdenedwihafamily！heneededanewovercoaandhewaswihougloves

jimsoppedinsidehedoor,asimmovableasaseerahescenofquailhiseyeswerefixedupondel,andherewasanexpressioninhemhashecouldnoread,andierrifiedheriwasnoanger,norsurprise,nordisapproval,norhorror,noranyofhesenimenshashehadbeenpreparedforhesimplysaredaherfixedlywihhapeculiarexpressiononhisface

delwriggledoffheableandwenforhim

“jim,darling,”shecried,“don’lookamehawayihadmyhaircuoffandsoldibecauseicouldn’havelivedhroughchrismaswihougivingyouapreseni’llgrowouagain—youwon’mind,willyou？ijushadodoimyhairgrowsawfullyfassay’merrychrismas！’jim,andle’sbehappyyoudon’knowwhaanice—whaabeauiful,nicegifi’vegoforyou”

“you’vecuoffyourhair？”askedjim,boriously,asifhehadnoarrivedahapaenfacyeevenaferhehardesmenalbor

“cuioffandsoldi,”saiddel“don’youlikemejusaswell,anyhow？i’mmewihoumyhair,ain’i？”

jimlookedabouheroomcuriously

“yousayyourhairisgone？”hesaid,wihanairalmosofidiocy

“youneedn’lookfori,”saiddel“i’ssold,iellyou—soldandgone,ooi’schrismaseve,boybegoodome,foriwenforyoumaybehehairsofmyheadwerenumbered,”shewenonwihsuddenserioussweeness,“bunobodycouldevercounmyloveforyoushallipuhechopson,jim？”

ouofhisrancejimseemedquicklyowakeheenfoldedhisdelforensecondsleusregardwihdiscreescruinysomeinconsequenialobjecinheoherdirecioneighdolrsaweekoramillionayear—whaishedifference？amahemaicianorawiwouldgiveyouhewronganswerhemagibroughvaluablegifs,buhawasnoamonghemhisdarkasserionwillbeilluminaederon

jimdrewapackagefromhisovercoapockeandhrewiuponheable

“don’makeanymisake,dell,”hesaid,“aboumeidon’hinkhere’sanyhinginhewayofahaircuorashaveorashampoohacouldmakemelikemygirlanylessbuifyou’llunwraphapackageyoumayseewhyyouhadmegoingawhileafirs”

whiefingersandnimbleoreahesringandpaperandhenanecsaicscreamofjoy;andhen,as！aquickfemininechangeohysericalearsandwails,necessiaingheimmediaeemploymenofallhecomforingpowersofhelordofhef

forhereyhecombs—heseofcombs,sideandback,hadelhadworshippedforlonginabroadwaywindowbeauifulcombs,pureoroiseshell,wihjewelledrims—jusheshadeowearinhebeauifulvanishedhairheywereexpensivecombs,sheknew,andherhearhadsimplycravedandyearnedoverhemwihouheleashopeofpossessionandnow,heywerehers,buheresseshashouldhaveadornedhecoveedadornmensweregone

bushehuggedhemoherbosom,andalenghshewasableolookupwihdimeyesandasmileandsay:“myhairgrowssofas,jim！”

andhendelleapeduplikealilesingedcaandcried,“oh,oh！”

jimhadnoyeseenhisbeauifulpresensheheldiouohimeagerlyuponheropenpalmhedullpreciousmealseemedofshwihareflecionofherbrighandardenspiri

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