Billy Whiskers Out for Fun

by Frances Trego Montgomery

“Heavens, what am I to do to get loose? Think what I will look like with black beard, mustache, eyebrows and lashes. I really can’t stand it to have them do it. I will be a sight all the rest of my life with a face like that and a pure white back.”

Poor Billy! He tried to open his mouth to baa, but it was tied shut. He tried to move his head to look, but he was so securely tied he could not even turn his head one inch. Then he tried to kick, but his hind legs were tied together and his forelegs bound to the arms of the chair. He was absolutely helpless! He closed his eyes and wept for Billy was very proud of his size and good looks and to be a laughing-stock to every person that laid eyes on him hereafter was too much for his strong spirit to stand. So I know you won’t blame him if he wept for once in his life. But he promised himself that when he did get loose that he would spend the rest of his life getting even with those five boys and the barber.

“Clip, clip, clip!” went the shears and at every clip the boys and barber loudly howled with delight at the change it made in Billy.

“Now for the dye!” said the barber. “That will complete the likeness and I know it is going to be perfect.”

Billy felt some cold stuff around his face and soon the barber took a soft brush and put the cold liquid on his eyebrows and lashes.

“Oh, isn’t he a scream?” chuckled the boys.

“Come now, Mr. Goat, open your eyes and look at yourself in the mirror before you,” said the barber as he finished his job.

But Billy would not open his eyes until the barber threatened to shave the rest of the hair off his back unless he did open them. So he opened them and looked. There gazing at him from the mirror was not Billy Whiskers at all but a long-faced man with black whiskers, mustache and eyebrows under which shone two blue eyes which grew larger and larger as he stared at the face in the mirror. But where was he? For surely that black-bearded person was not Billy Whiskers! No amount of dye could change a goat to look so like a man. He was so taken by surprise that he just sat and stared and stared at the reflection, while the boys fell over one another in fits of laughter and clapped each other on the back and howled with delight.

“Here, Tony, is five dollars for you for doing such a wonderful job. Now where shall we hide him until it gets dark enough to lead him to the college?”