The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-17 00:00:00

“DO YOU WANT TO BE SHAVED

(From the New York Morning Signal of Nov. 13.)
The following story_ is old, but a precious good one.
We laughed heartily over it " long time ago," and pre-
suming many of our readers never heard it, we serve it
up for their edification.
A gentleman travelling some years since in the upper
part of this state, called at a tavern, and requested en-
tertainment for the night. The landlord informed him
that it was out of his power to accommodate him, as his
house was already full. He persisted in stopping, as he
as well as a horse .were almost exhausted with travelling.
After much solicitation the landlord consented to his
stopping, provided he would sleep in a certain room
that had not been occupied for a long time, in conse-
quence of a belief that it was haunted be the ghost of
a barber, who was reported to have been murdered in
that room some years before. " Very well," says the
min, "1 am not afraid of ghosts." After having re-
freshed himself, lie inquired of the landlord how and in
what manner the room in which he was to lodge was
haunted? The landlord replied, that shortly after they
retired to rest an unknown voice was heard in a trem-
bling and protracted accent saying, " Do you w-a-nt to
be sha-a-ved?" " Well," replied the man, "if he
comes he may shave me."
He then requested to he shown to the apartment ; in
going to which he was conducted through a large room,
where were seated a great number of persons at a
gambling table. Feeling a curiosity which almost every
person possesses after having heard ghost stories, he
carefully searched every corner of his room, but could
discover nothing but the usual furniture of the apart-
ment: he then lay down, but did not close his eyes to
sleep immediately, and in a few minutes he imagined he
heard a voice saying, "Do you wa-n-t to be sk-a-ved?"
He arose from his bed and searched every part of his
room, but could discover nothing : he again went to
bed, but no sooner had he begun to compose himself to
, sleep than the question was again repeated. He again
arose and went to the window, the sound appoaring to
proceed from that quarter, and stood awhile silent—
after a few moments of anxious suspense he again beard
the sound distinctly, and convinced that it was from
without, he opened the window, when the question was
repeated full in his car, which started bins not a little.
Upon a minute examination, however, he observed that
the limb of a large oak tree, which stood under his win-
dow, projected so near the house that every breath of
wind, to a lively imagination, made a noise resembling
the interrogation, " Do you w-a-nt to be sh-a.ved ?"
Having satisfied himself that his ghost was nothing
more nor less than the limb of a tree coming in contact
with the house, he again went to bed and attempted to
get asleep ; but he was now interrupted by peals of
laughter and an occasional volley of oaths and curses
from the room where the gamblers were assembled.
Thinking that he could turn the late discovery to his
own advantage, he took a sheet from the bed and
wrapped it round him, and taking the wash-basin in his
hand, and throwing a towel over his arm, proceeded to
the room of the gamblers, and suddenly opening the
door, stalked in, exclaiming in a tremulous voice," Do
you w-a-nt to be sha-a-ved ?" Terrified at the sudden
appearance of the ghost, the gamblers were thrown
into the greatest confusion in attempting to escape it ;
some jumped through the windows, and others tumbling
head over heels down stairs. Our ghost, taking advan-
tage of a clear room, deliberately swept a large amount
of money from the table into the basin, and retired un-
seen to his own room.
The next morning he found the house in the utmost
confusion. He was immediately asked if be rested
well ? to which he replied in the affirmative. " Well,
na wonder," said the landlord, " for the ghost, instead
of going to his own room, made a mistake and came to
ours, frightened us out of the room, and took
every dollar dollar of our money." The guest, without being
the least suspected, quitely ate his breakfast, and de
parted many hundred dollars richer by the adventure..
—[Of the money, we say nothing ; we ree,ommaad the
moral to our readers.]

_
Mr. Curtis, following the plan of the
and with a view of making his standard works on the ear,
Germans,
eye, &c., more extensively useful, has given sY"°P,es of
them for the information of the general render. Mr. Cur.
tis's remarks on hearing and sight are very judicious, while
aose on health should be perused by all who wish to pre-
serve their health unimpaired to old nge ; indeed, when it
is recollected that it is in our catty life our efforts should
be made to ensti7e the (ink)) molt of a sound constitution,
medicines would be
his plain hints cannot lad, we think, to have their eEet
upon Ow young as well as old. By attention to his surr.
gestions on air, exercise, and diet,
exvnsively superseded.--Observer.

EVENING EDITION.

N A jr A F.

EN CE.

(From the Brighton Gazette.)
PORTSNIOUTII, DEC. 15.—The Nautilus, 10, Lieutenan
Beaufoy, has left the Nore for Sunderland, to collect men
desirous of joining the naval service. She will also visit
the other northern ports on the same errand.
The Impregnable, 104, Captain Thomas Forrest, C.B
will go out of harbour into Plymouth Sound next week.
She has, for the most part, a fine able-bodied crew. The
Belleisle, 78, Captain Nicholas, is to be ready for sea by
the Ist of January.
The troop-ships, Apollo and Athol, are in this harbour
refitting. Report sends the former on a trip to Ceylon,
and the latter to the Mediterranean. .
The St. Vincent, 120, has been undocked, preparatory
to being commissioned for home service. It is expected
that she will b 3 flag-ship at this port, and that the Queen
110, will be sent to the Mediterranean.
The Vengeance, 84, is being rigged in the basin with a
dispatch, and will be commissioned about the sth January.
No orders have yet been received for the frigates Vindic-
tive, Madagascar, and Warspite to hoist the pendant.
The Phoenix, steam-frigate, is ordered to be prepared a
soon as possible to return to the Mediterranean.
be
The Rapid, a new 10-gun brig, is fitting
out h ere t
in lieou
o
attached as a tender to the Royal George yacht,
the Pantaloon, 10, found to require repairs.
The Gloucester and Eagle, 50-gu ships. at Chelan',
reported as commissioned, have not yet hoisted the. pen.
dant. The Alfred, 50, at Sheerness, is quite ready, await-

ing orders for commission
The Indus, 84, Captain Sir J. Stirling,
basin in a few days, to go into the harbour to receive hot
crew. She will be ready for sea in about one mouth front
the present time.
The Snake, 16, Scout, 16, and Harlequin, 18, are bring.'
ing forward for commission in the river.
The Wolverine, 16, Commander Tucker, and Dee,
steam-frigate, Commander Sherer, are shortly expected
home to be paid off, the former from Sierra Leone, and the
latter from Jamaica.
At Spithead--No vessels of war. will quit the
In Harbour—Queen, Victory, Indus, fixcellent, a,
George yacht. Tweed, Rapid, Apollo, Athol, Echo, and
flag ship's tenders.