Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 209, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1917 — RAVAGING A WASTED COUNTRY. [ARTICLE]

RAVAGING A WASTED COUNTRY.

The daring of the American girl of a century ago and the Frenchman’s traditional habit of yielding to the will of “the ladies” form the fabric of an amusing bit of family record that. Mr. William Allen Butler gives In “A Retrospect of Forty Years.” My aunt. Mary Allen, having spent some time In France, was proficient in her knowledge of the French language and manners, he says. On a visit that she paid to Lafayette, who was always exceedingly courteous to Americans, she told him that site had a great favor to ask. He indicated that he would grant it,-and she begged him for a lock of his hair. “Madam," said the general, “I wear a wig!" But to show his willingness to meet her wishes, he proposed to remove the wig and let her appropriate’ any remaining natural hairs that she could find. She accepted his offer and proved herself to be a good searcher by 4?ettlng a few clippings, which she brought home, as a great treasure, and divided honorably with my mother. Each sister carefully preserved her quota of hairs In a ring.