He rather stared at first , as if he was n't used to having girls bounce into his shop and ask him to buy their hair . He said he did n't care about mine , it was n't the fashionable color , and he never paid much for it in the first place . The work put into it made it dear , and so on . It was getting late , and I was afraid if it was n't done right away that I should n't have it done at all , and you know when I start to do a thing , I hate to give it up . So I begged him to take it , and told him why I was in such a hurry . It was silly , I dare say , but it changed his mind , for I got rather excited , and told the story in my topsy-turvy way , and his wife heard , and said so kindly , ` Take it , Thomas , and oblige the young lady . I 'd do as much for our Jimmy any day if I had a spire of hair worth selling . '' `` Who was Jimmy ? '' asked Amy , who liked to have things explained as they went along . `` Her son , she said , who was in the army . How friendly such things make strangers feel , do n't they ? She talked away all the time the man clipped , and diverted my mind nicely . '' `` Did n't you feel dreadfully when the first cut came ? '' asked Meg , with a shiver . `` I took a last look at my hair while the man got his things , and that was the end of it . I never snivel over trifles like that . I will confess , though , I felt queer when I saw the dear old hair laid out on the table , and felt only the short rough ends of my head . It almost seemed as if I 'd an arm or leg off . The woman saw me look at it , and picked out a long lock for me to keep . I 'll give it to you , Marmee , just to remember past glories by , for a crop is so comfortable I do n't think I shall ever have a mane again . ''
Mrs. March folded the wavy chestnut lock , and XXXXX it away with a short gray one in her desk .
begged care clipped getting give laid look made stared took