Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-08-04
THE GAZETTE.
MORNING, AUGUST 4, 1859.
WAITING. FOR A SHAVE.

Getting slii, ed Is one of the am,inyances
of the pantheon sex. a rre>hiy-,az red face
Is eXrredingly pheasant, Ia he sure, AN "A man
never feels better than when Just u>hered
from IL BARRIERS shop with renovated head.
The annoyance does not consist in the act "i
being shaved, in the daub Of lalhcr over nose
and mouth, in the scrapiuss Of the razor, nor
active maaipulations of the barber. ne
trouble is in the delay This is especially
the case On SATURDAY. nights, when IN most
barber-shups one must wait at least hall ali
hour, before his ugh face can feel the
touch of the BARRIERS keen and shining in
strument While crowds are thus waiting
their turns, amusing incidents iten trans
pire. First come, first served" is the in
variable rule, and every one must wait his
turn, no matter how urgent his case Not
long ago an easy-g"-long auctioneer, who did
not care whether he Was shaved before or
after dinner, found himself III crowd OF i'm
patient patrons of the barber shop he was
in. Combining speculation with amuse-
ment, the auctioneer offered to dispose of his
turn" at auction to the highest bidder
There was an instantaneous response. 81
he mounted chair, and auctioneered rs
follows:
Gentlemen, my turns next. John is now
soaping the head of that gentleman, and as
soon as he's through the chair is mime
Several of you are in hurry and am not.
I'm ready To do one of you good office by
selling my turn knock down to the high
est bidder, So pitch i'll. Who bids, ana
what's bid!'
'Three cents" sang out merchant from
the post office.
.'rhree it is-who advances
Give" responded three or four.
Give is offered by dozen. Who goes
higher? Be quick. gentlemen. for time is
short"
"Ten," shouted lively stable keeper.
Twelve" the landlord Ola restaurant
Fifteen" u merchant who had not recely-
cd his letters.
Fifteen for the first shave. fi-tifff IF, GO
ing al fifteen. gentlemen, and the time nearly
up, and going, going, 60"
Eighteen" bid the stable keeper.
Twenty" the saloon-keeper.
Twenty FIVE" the merchant.
The barber was just then topping of the
customer in the chair, aud but ,noment more
was to spare.
Il 60 thirty" responded the stable man.
Forty" shouted the merchant.
Five to that" excitedly exclaimed the sa-
keeper, land IN have it ii costs me u
days recei pts"
"So'n fifty" promptly responded the
stable keeper. more excited than the rival
bidder
The two merchants withdrew from the
contest; and the auctioneer proceeded IN
strictly business manner to urge on the re-
mairing bidders lie used all the cunning
and ingenuity Of msn Of the hammer. The
two bidders became much excited aud bid
against each other rapidly. The stable man
bid 81 05, when the barber shouted
"Next-who next?''
Going, going" was the response of the
auctioueer. Going, going and"
'.One ten" shouted tine saloon-keeper.
Just in time, and going ut one teh-'
Zone fifteen" said the stabekeeper.
"And gone at the dollar aud fifteen" clos
ed the auctioneer.
A heavy shout of laughter arose from the
crowd in the barber shop, all Of whom had
become more or less interested in the rival
bidding for the first shave. The stable
keeper promptly paid over the dollar and
fifteen cents to the auctioneer, remarking as
he did So
"It's u dear shave gentlemen, but |
would have gone double rather than be beat.
PLUCK; call again next week" was the
response Of the auctioneer, as he pocketed the
clear receipts. Lighting cigar, aud spread
ing himself out on two chairs, he lazliy
awaited his deferred turn for II shave.