Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-07
VOL. XII.

my cnin Ia the slightest. or if you leave single
halr there, your life shall pay the forfeit I, j
give you warning"
The sight of this terrible weapon increased
,ne barber terror. His hand trembled like a
,eai' he began to prepare the soap, and it took
MN ten times longer than it had ever done be.
lore on any occasion. He dreaded to touch his
razor to his chin; so he resolved to continue
iathering indefinitely, rather than run the risk
OF receiving ball in his head. This delay was
OF benefit to him, for it enabled him to gain
more assurance; the stranger found nothing TO
say. On the contrary, his good humor seemed
to revive beneath the agreeable tickling of the
brush, and beginning to whistle merrily, he
blew the lather from his lips into the barber s
face.
Half an hour had passed, and he was still
engaged in this preliminary operation, which
seemed to please the little man for, instead of
complaining of its length, be continued to hum
and whistle, to the great displeasure of our
barber, who experienced some difficulty in lath-
ering such variable physiognomy Nearly
three-quarters of an hour he had thus spent in
rubbing the chin of this singular parsonage,
without Derceiving any release from his labor !;
for the little man laughed in his face and re-
peated the eternal Lather away the mo-
ment the barber seemed ready to relinoui.b
the brush. Besides, he remembered his chas.
tisement for bis first reSistance-and there too
before his eyes lay the threatening pistol
1t Is impossible to conceive the agony of the
barber. lie felt as confined in the ma sic circle
OF some enchanter, whose power he could not
escape from. His strength was now noarly ex-
hausted; he no longer had any WILL and each
movement of his BODY was in direct opposition
to what he wished 70 do If he stopped mo-
ment, the neVer-ending Lathcr away re.
sounded in his ears; ii he wanted to take his
razor, he was prevented by this cry and if he
refused to shave him, he ran the risk of being
shaved himself.
"Lather away cried the stranger, wi h
stentorian voice, thruSting his fingers in the
eurls of his thick black hair, and opening, as
he smiled, an enormous largo mouth.
9 cannot any longer, at length said the
barber, letting his hands fall with WEAKNESS
and fatigue
1Ou cannot any more, do you say, my old
man will cure you of that Come take
some drops OF this wonderful liquor-the elixir
OF MepbistOphiles, the friend Of DR. Faust"
And as he said this, he drew from his pocket a
bottle of red liquor, uncOrked il, and before the
barber knew what he was doing, he forced him
to swallow half of it. Now lather away"
continued he, there is nothing like it.' Con-
founded by the rapidity of this action, the poor
man had no time to reflect, and dipping the
brush again into the soap, he continued as be-
fore. Revived by what he had swallowed. he
felt new life ditfused in all his members, whilst
the little man increasingly cried, "Lather
away
The college clock had struck eleven nearly
bali an hour before, and midnight approached
The barber continued his unlimited task and
the stranger his eternal vOciferations The
Lather away, my old man" constantly came
from his lips, regularly accompanied by a deep
sigh OF despair exhaled from the BARRIERS breast;
finally, the darkness became 30 great that the
latter could hardly see his brush and soap boy.
aft thrntv
Its vacillating light, like a dying meteor, at
length went out. In the fireplace few red
Goals remained, sending forth but little heat
and very feeble light. The room was only
lighted by the pale rays of the moon. The
agonies of the barber increased with the dark
hess; his hand could scarcely hold the brush
which he managed at hazard. sometimes miss.
ing 1T. But though the clock had struck the
midnight hour, he gave no sign OF fatigue; his
constant theme still continued, Lather away,''
Another half hour passed, and the terrible and
supernatural accent of the little man became
less shrlll. He appeared to sleep, and his
" Lather away was repeated at longer inter
walls, and in hollow voice. Soon he was asleep
and began to snOre. From time to time pro-
icnged murmur, "Lather away" came from
his mouth as from the bottom of a tomb
cloud having eclipsed the moon, the deepest
obscurlty reigned In the room, and the barber
was seized with unspeakable terror
his house opened upon the cemetery of the
college, surrounded on all sides by high walls
and regularly closed every evening. All com.
oined to render his position more perilous The
perplexity OF the barber had attained it's high
est point. What he suffered was really bevond
his strength, and he felt that he should fall
senseless upon the floor. STILL suffering had
even given him some courage, and suddenly
turning round, he rapidly walked to the door.
intending to escape.
But, alas he had hardly stepped upon the
threshold when cry, Lather away :" struck
his ears like clap of thunder and he stopned
perfectly motioness. His resolution was shaken.
he returned to his task, and began to moisten
the little man 5 cheek as here tOfore The cries
OF the little man then became more violent than
they were the preceding half hour. His sleep
seemed disturbed, and he again commenced his
old habit OF singing, whistling and laughing in
a fearful manner
SuppOrtable sneering. /" You are not weary. |
hope, my old man Do you wish second Dor
ton of my elixir
We need more light than elixir replied
the barber, with some effort
" All, well, we shall not want light. Here
are two which are sufficient for YOU
The barber drew back astonished. In the
midst OF the darkness he saw two ylitterino
eyes hxed on him they were those of the little
e.
came deep scarlet; his thick hair seemed
transformed into black serpents, and when he
laughed, his mouth and throat seemed like the
opening OF fiery furnace. The sight of such a
terrible spectacle froze the blood in tho Door
barber veins: lie saw safety only in flight
and throwing far from him his brush and soap
box, he endeavored to rush to the door, mur.
muring, in the anguish of despair, I" Lord, Lord,
have compassion upon me have shaven the
vii one '"
Recovering little OF his strength, he dartcd
across the cemetery he sprang over tombstones
hillOcks, graves, and all that appeared i'm his
way. But hardly half minute after his flight,
his ears again heard the strangers frightful
bursts OF laughter, and his horrible cry, 'Lath-
or away lie heard footsteps behind him, and
tried to redouble his efforts but in vain turn
ing round he saw the little man, his face covered
with lather, the napkin under his chin, and the
pistol in his hand.
In despair the barber directed his steps to.
wards the clock tower, which was open. En-
tering, he tried to close the door behind him
the other followed him. while our fugitive rap
idly mounted the staircase of the tower Al
the top there was a door Openino on an eytariny