Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-24

1ceaSed applying the soap, ana was In the act VI
moving off forhis razor, when the loud voice OF
his customer fell, like thunder, upon his ear =
Brush away, my old boy, nothing like it," And
he continued humming these words for a quar-
| ter of an hour longer, during which time tire
Barber was compelled to soap his chin without
the least interval of repose. 1t was now eleven
as was indicated by the striking Of the College
| clock.
Three quarters OF an hour had he scrubbed
away al the chin Of this arrange character, and,
as yet, he saw no more chance of his labor ter
minating than when he began. The same toll
some, never ending task was before him, and he
was kept working att as by some supernatural
agency 1t was in vain for him to get into a
passion; the fat man laughed in his face. 1t
was IN vain to attempt a cessation OF his labor;
the eternal Brush away" from the mouth OF
his tormentor, kept him at the work. Still
more vain was it for him to refuse; he re,nem-
bered the punishment inflicted upon himself for
| such an act, and had, moreover, an eye TO the
pistol hard by, with which, doubtless, its own
er would have enforced compliance.
| Never was any human being SO completely
wretched He felt az if in the charmed ring Of
some enchanter, from whose precincts it was
impossible TO escape. He had no power of his
own. His will was useless; every movement
Of his body was in direct opposition to its die
tates. What could he do? If he stopped one
moment, the cursed sound of Brush away,
was thundered into his ears. If he moved for
his razor, he was brought back by the same in
voking spell. If he refused to shave, he ran
! the risk of being shaved himself. Nay, even
though he had the razor in his hand, what Sc
curty had he that he might not scratch the
chin of such talkaiive and unsteady being, and
thereby get as reward pistol bullet through
his brain? Such was the deplorable condition
of the Barber Of Gottingen University.
"Brush away" cried the Stentorlan voice OF
the stranger, as he plunged his fingers among
his immense mass of black curley hair, and
showed, while he laughed, a mouth which
might we'll nigh have swallowed the full moon.
81 can brush no longer" said the Barber,
dropping his hands with absolute fatigue. 81
have brushed for more than an hour TO 10 pur-
pose, and am exhausted beyond endurance"
Exhausted, say you, my old boy? shall
cure you of that. Here, swallow little OF this
glorious stuff-,he Elixir Diaboli of Doctor
Fausts." So saying, he drew bottle of red
liquid from his pocket, uncorked it in an in
slant, and before the Barber was aware, forced
one half down his throat. Now brush away
continued he, +" nothing like it.
COMPOUNDED by the suddenness of this action,
the operator had no time to reflect. Again did
he begin his eternal labor-again was the brush
loaded with supply of suds, and laid on as be-
fore spired 6y what he had swallowed, he felt
new vigor to diffuse itself throughout his body.
His arms, forgetting their fatigue, worked with
refreshed energy, while the fat man continued
10 bawl out brush away" and laughed and
erinned alternately in his face.
But although his body was strengthened, let
it not be supposed that the least glimmer of sa-
tisfaction was communicated to his mind. On
the contrary, he became every moment more
overwhelmed with amazement and wretcheds
ness. Body and mind seemed to have dissolve
ea their natural connexion The former was a
mere puppet over which the latter had no con-
troll The unhappy man felt his misery. He
knew the utter absurdity of his conduct-he
knew that he was acting the part OF all idiot
ma,lman-a laughing stock. Yet with all this
knowledge he coul6 not check himself in his
nonsensical career; but, as if by some internal
influence, he continued to lather the face OF his
obstreperous customer, Notwithstanding all that
inclination and common sense could say TO the
contrary.
We have said that the College clock struck
eleven. Another half hour passed by, and mid
night was approaching. The apartment in
WnlCO lnlS strange SIcbC Woo iieo "" oS6o"
TO get obscure, from the untrimmed lamp. and
fading glow of the FIRE. A dim twilight from
these sources lii it up, aided by the rays of the
young moon peering through a small window,
which opened into the College court. Every
moment the place was becoming darker; and at
last, the Barber's blocks, capped in their cor
responding wigs, and ranged at intervals along
the wall, were SO obscure, that they might have
seen mistaken for the heads of so many human
beings stuck upon poles: nothing but their
dark outlines we're discernible. On the explr.
inc embers of the fire stood the kettle, still
singing audibly, and pouring forth streams OF
vapor from its spout.
The scene of gloom was no impeachment 10
the operations of the Barber. He still contlnu-
ed his incessant toll, and the strange man as un'
ceasinely his vociferations. Brush away my
old BOYS came perpetually from his lips, and
was succeeded invariably by long drawn des-
pairing sigh from the bosom OF the shaver
The darkness at length became SO great, that
the latter could with difficulty perceive his own
brush and soap box. The lamps Aickered some
score of times like dying meteor, and then
went out, while nothing remained OF the FIRE but
few red embers which communicated local
GLOW of warmth, Blu, scarcely emitted the slight
cst raw of lirht The room was Illuminated