The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-04-06
NUMBER :,42.
THRILLING ADvENTuRE

IlIhll.l.lNG ADVENTURE.
III the month Of October ls2s, nv vessel
was lying in Mobile. wen, ashore ono
bright morning 10 do come business with
the house to which was consigned, and AZ
passed along the street, il occurred 10 me
that ] might ~ we'll have beard of a
weeks growth scrnpcd before presented
myself a. the counting room. / stepped
'nto a BARRIERS shop, md taking the chair
told the barhcr TO proceed.
lie was bright mullnto, good looking
young fellow, not more than two and TWEEN.
~ years Of age, it appeared. Ills eyes
we're black and lnstrous, thought. Ills
manner nj first was quiet and rcspcctlul.
thought he was long while lathcrinp NV
face, and told him that be mus, have bought
his sonp ut tho wholesale price. Laugh
ing, he replied that mine was a long l,eard,
and that he know what he WINS about.
Are you the boss hero, my mang ask
Cd
Yes he answered, my master set mo
up, md pay him twenty dollars month
for my iimc.'
'rhat is good interest on the cnpital in.
vested ! remarked. Can you pny your
rent aud live on tho balance Of your saw
ingsT
20 yes and lny up something besides.--
Sometimes receive thirty bits day.
Then ] suppose you will buy your free.
dom ono Of these days.
AS tor that he replied, Il care little
! have oil tho liberty want, und enjoy
myself MS 60 along
'N,. should you marry and have children,
you would not wish to leave them slavcsr
'Ycs would, because they would be bet.
ter oil than if they were frco.'
lIy this time no had laid down the brush,
and commenced running the razor over the
strop, and looking a, tho blade every timo
Inc drcw il across tho leather. Ills hand
trcmblcd little, md his ewes absolutely
burned like Goals Of fire. | did mt feel nn-
easy, but could not avoid watching him
closely.
Al last he commenced shaving me. Nv
head being thrown back, was able TO keep
my eyes directly on his own. Why did
90, ] cannot tell; certainly ! spprehcnded
nothing, but did not remove my guze for
a single instant while the razor was pass
ing over my neck and throat. lie could
not meet my fixed and deliberate look. Al
he commenced shaving my chin, no said
abruptly
BARRIERS handle a deadly weapon, sief
True enough, my man, l replied; but
YOU handle yours skilfully, although no.
,icc your hand shakss.'
chats nothing, sir--1 can shave lust an
we'll. My hand shakes boca $50 did not
have much sleep last night. But I wns
thinking just now he added with laugh.
show cnsy il would be Tor mc 10 cut YOUR
throat
IVORY likely replied, laughing in re-
turn, hnt looking stcrnly At him, very like
", yet J would not advise you 10 try the
experiment
Nothing more was said. Ilc soon fin
ishcd, and arose from the chair, lust a.
nm elderly gentleman entered tho shop.
The last conner Invested himself Of his coat
md craynt, and took the scat l had vaca.
ted.
went to the glass, which did not reflect
the chair. TO arrange my collar. Ccrtsinly,
J had not stood before a single moment,
when ! hoard something like suppressed
shrek. gurgling, horrible sound that made
my blood run cold. turned, and there
grcnt God!-thcrc sat tho unfortunate nen-
tlcmnn, covered with blood, his throat cut
from car to chr, and tho barber, now "a
wing maniac, dashing the razor with trs-
mendous violence into tho mangled neck.
On the Instant tho mans cyc caught mine,
the rnzar dropped from bis hand, and no
fell down in a iit. rushed towards the
door and called for assistance. Tho unfor-
iunnte man was dead before We reached
the chair.
We secured tho barber, who, a. AFTER
wards learned, had bccn drinking deeply
tho night before, and was lnboriDg under
the mania potu. Ills fatc never heard.