The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-14 00:00:00

TtiE RIVAL SIGNS.

Two individuals, the opposites of each other in man-
ners and appearance, lately presented themselves before
the Juge de Paix of the ninth arrondissement of Paris.
One named Lionel was a coiffeur of fashionable exterior,
redolent of the perfumes with which it had been his
habit to inundate the cheyclure of the ladies who fre-
quented his establishment. The other named Prech-
ard, was a perruquier, neither whose costume nor his
marmers exhibited by any means the same amount of
elegance.

The Judge (to Prechard)—What do you desire ?
Prechard—l desire that Monsieur shall be forbidden
to fish in uy pond as he does, for wigs and customers,
to turn away ray practice out of its natural course, and
appropriate it to his own interests.

Lionel (with a very fastidious air)—Monsieur com-
plains that I rob him of his clients.

Prechard—Monsieur takes airs on himself because he
plies his tongs in a salon, for which he never has paid
one farthing of rent, and doesn't mean it either. That

what he calls driving a " slap-up" business (se faire
mousier).

Lionel—M3 devilish plain that that is no object of
your ambition. (Addressing the Bench)—The tact is,
th,xt Monsieur has discovered a most economical method
of shaving without soap, and without pain too. He does
not feel the smallest pain for the torture which he in-
flicts on his customers.

Judge—This is no place to enter into these disputes.
Explain to me, M. Prechard, in what respect your
neigbhour, M. Lionel has injured you.
Prechard—Readily. You are aware, Monsieur le
Juge de Paix, that though they say, " goof wine needs
no bush," it is impossible that an establishment like
mine can be carried on successfully without a showy
sign. I was on the look out for one when I first en-
tered business. I sought in all directions for a long
time. At length I succeeded in obtaining one, which
for a perruquier was very original. I put it up in
1809, when vrruques were much in fashion.
Judge—What was this sign ?
Prechard—lt represented a man decently clad, and
of about the middle age, hanging from a tree by his
long hair. In this image you will readily recognise Ab-
salom—(Laughter)—that unfortunate son of David,
who had so great an antipathy to hairdressers.
Judge—Your sign was, then, " Absalom ?"
Prechard—Precisely, Monsieur le Jage ; and be-
neath this biblical picture were written these lines :
" Passers-by, behold Absalom
Hung by the hair ;
Had he carried a wig,
He would not have been there!'

Judge (laughing)—The verse is spirituel, and I can
not conceive how your young confrere could have
thought of damaging a sign like this.
Prechard—lt was, nevertheless, in my sign that he
wounded me. He thought proper to criLicise it in his,
for he also had a sign constructed.
Judge—Describe it to the tribunal.

Prechard (indignantly)—Can I soil my lips by re,
citing such guard-room rhyme ? Let him repeat it him,
self, if he chooses.

Lionel—l shall repeat the words that are alleged to
be so insulting. My sign is in praise of my profession,
your's is in favour of that which you follow. Etch
has his rights.

Judge—Pray give us an idea of it.
Lionel—Nothing easier. In the first place, there
is no more criestion of Absalom in my sign than if
David had placed his children in the Hospital of St.
Vincent de Panic. It is simply a man, clad like our
first father, who is on the point of drowning himself.
A bold citizen, who knows how to swim, strives to
seize his hair for the purpose of saving him. But he
must die, Monsieur le Juge, his lot is inevitably east ;
for the moribund carries a wig, and it is this alone
which remains in the hands of his generous saviour !
Beneath are inscribed these lines :

" 'Were you paid ev'n for shaving
Wear your own hair ;
He might ne'er have been drowned,
But a wig he would wear!"
This quotation was followed by a deal of laughter, at
the conclusion of which the Judge, pronouncing that no
direct injury could be proved to have been inflicted by
the second sign, dismissed the complaint, advising both
parties to attend to their business, and rival each other
as well by the neatness of their salons as their signs, and
by their polite attention to their customers.

From Henry Cowper, Esq., of Tewen-waters,
Herb:, to Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, 39, Albemarle-street,
Piccadilly, and 76, King William-street, Bank o•f England.
—Gentlemen, having 'seen deaf for many years, I was
induced from recommendation to try your Invisible Voice
Conductors, and I have great pleasure in telling you that
they enable me to hear persons in company and at a place of
worship most distinctly; and ha consequence of the great ad-
vantage which I have derived, I have recommended many
persons to you, and I am happy to state that their report is
similar to mine, most favourable, The Spectacles and Hand-
glass which you have sent me are very excellent, and suit my
sight precisely, and surpass anything of the kind I have ever
tried ; the transparency of which is so brilliant, that although
I have passed my 86th year, the 22d of May last, yet they en•
able me to read, Etc., by candle-light with the greatest ease
and comfort to myself.—Gentlemen, I return you my best
thanks, and remain your most obedient servant, HENILT
COWPEL-22d of June, lB39.—The Messrs. Solomons state
that there are numerous persons in London and in the country,
as well as in Ireland, assuming the name of Solomons, who
have endeavoured to imitate their Invisible Operative Voice
Conductor and newly. invented Spectacle Lenses, but the ma-
terials being a secret to themselves, and the various mode of
their application to the eye and ear not being known to them,
their spurious imitations have therefore been found to be use-
less. The Messrs. S. hate no connection with persons of
the same name : their valuable inventions are solely confined
to their Establishments, 39, Albemarle-street, and 76, King
William-street, Bank. _ _

Tile Duke of Rutland, accompanied by his
brother, Lord Charles Mamma:, M.P.. and Lord Gecrge
and Lay Adeliza Manners, have arrived at Belvoir
from Haddon Hall, Derbyshire.