Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-08-27

SHAVING A MILLIONAIRE.

| when we Will give our rCh1orS.
| II seems that Billy, while in n country village
in which he owned SEINE property, stepped into
barber's shop to get shaved. The shop was
full of customers and the old gentleman quietly
waited his turn.
A customer who was under the BARRIERS hands
when the old man came ID, asked the knight
of the razor" in nm undertone, if he knew who
that was, aud on receiving negative reply, he
Informed him, in a Whisper il was " old Billy |
Gibbons, the richest man in the State"
Cad, said the barber, /" Ill charge him for |
his shave
Accord ngly after the old man had had that |
operation performed, he was somewhat surprised |
on asking the price, to he told" Seventy five |
cents"
Seventy five cents - said he, quietly, CENT
that n high pfice?"
"lt's my price" said he of the la her brush
independently, "and ns this is the only bar
ber's shop in the place, them as comes in it must
pay what ask"
To the old man this was evidently knock
down argument, for he drew three quarters of
dollar from his pocket paid them over to the
barber, aud left the shop.
A short time after he was in close cOnyeTsa-
ton with the landlord of tavern close by, the
topic Of onversation-" barber shops"
+" Why is it, said he, Z" there's only one bar
ber's shop 10 towns there seems to lie nearly
enough work ioi Two"
3" Wen, there used to be two, said the land
lcri, iii last wiutef, when this new man came
ap iron the city and opened a new shop, and as
estfyiAiug 10 il vas fresh aud new, folks sort OF
deserted Bill lisrring,ous shop, which had been
e.ing % nigh fourteen years"
" Bat didn't this Bill do good work didn't
be shave well, and-cheap :"
" Well, as for that, said the landlord "Bill
lid lis work vel enough and cheap enough, but
his shop wasn't on the Main street, like the new
IL Isl -.
some curtains, and folks got in the way Of
, thinking that the new chap was more scientific
and brought more city fashions with him, tho 10
tell the truth, said the landlord, strOking a chin
sowh with beard resembling screen wire,
. never want lighter touch, or keener razor,
than Bill liaTripgtons."
, "Ciiy fashions-eh!" growlel the old man,
80 the new mans city fashions shut up the
other BARRIERS shop"
"Well, NOT exactly" said the landlord,
y "though things never did seem to go well with
y Bill after the new shop opened;-f one of his
l. little children died OF fever, then his wife was
l. sick a long time, and Bill had big bill to pay
at the Doctors, then, as Il last misfortune, his
shop burned down one night, tools brushes
furniture and all, and no insurance"
j. "We," said the old man, pettishly why
o don't he start again 2"
= Start again ~ said the communicative land
y lord, "why bless your SOUL he hasn't got any.
f thing to start with"
|. "'H-m-ml Where does the man live %
e asked thu old man.
II He was directed and ere long was in CONVEX
l. sRton with the unfortunate tousor, who corrobo
/. rated the landlords statement
= "Why don't you take a new shop" said the
10 old man, there's new one in the block Just
y opposite the other barbers shop"
IN "What T. said the other, ''you must be crazy.
ri Why that block belongs to old Billy Gibbons
i..ft 1aNf nFf
D, shop they are n mighty sight too good, besides
that havn't got twenty dollars in the world to
r. fit it up with.
st ''You don't know old Billy Gibbons MS well as
y | do" said the ether. Now, listen to me. II
g you can have that shop all fitted up, rent free,
IN what will you work in it for by the month p
ID what is the least you can live on?'
d This proposition somewhat startled the unfor.
ie tunale hnT dresser, who finally found words tC
&c stammer out that, perhaps twelve or fifteen
rs dollars a month would be about enough.
le "pshaw !" said the old man, " that won't do
as now listen TO me,-r give you that store
US rent free, yenr and engage your service siz
ed months, all on these conditions You are to shave
RS and cut hair for everybody thas applies to you
r and take no pay just charge it ali to me, ant
IN for your services I'll pay you twenty dollars
d. month, payable in advance pay to commenced
e, now continued he, placing two ten dollar note
-, on the table before the astOnished baTber,-who
In il il almost unnecessary TO state, accepted thu
III proposition, and who was still more surprised I,
up learn that II was Billy Hlbhons himself who ha(
en- hired him.
In few days the inhabitants of that village
of were astonshed by the appearance Of spendit
as new barber's shop, far surprising the other il
he elegance of appointments, and in which, will
ed new mugs, soaps, razors and perfumes, stood I
lis barber and assistant, ready to do duty on thu
ey heads and boards of the people. Over the dool
"
E. Hair DressingSaloOn
hit The people were not long in ascertaining o.
u.s. slow in ayailing themselves of the privileges o
as this establishment, aud it is not to be wondere,
u that il was crowded and the other deserted Tn
H. other held out some weeks, suspectng this fire.
shaving-for Bill kept his secret well-was bu
a dodge to entice customers away, who woul,
soon be charged as usual but, when at the ent
BIO of six weeks he found Billy working away, u
mr. usual charging not cent for his labor, ant
&c having money to spend into the bargain, he cam
,e t. the conclusion that he must have drawn priz
ot 10 the lottery, or stumbled upon gold mine, an,
ut was keeping barbers shop for fun, so he closet
re his shop in despair Nnl left the place.
c. Meantime Bill Harrington" kept on busy a.
ey bee, and one fine morning his employer step
re ned in aud, without word, sat down and wa
nv shaved; on rising from his chair he asked l.
iii see the score for the six months past The bar
he Der exhibited it, and after careful calculation
81, the old man said
"Pleniy of customers eh ?"
ed Lots Of EN-" said the barber; ''neyer d
such n business in my life"
en- "Well, replied the Money Bags, you hav
oe kept the account we'll l sec I've paid you on
Ii. hundred and twenty dollars for setvices-al
Oh right--and there are three hundred aud thirt,
charged for shaving all that applied now, thi
ed furniture cost one hundred and eight dollars
re, balance due you one hundred and two dollars
hi Here it is. Now you own this furniture, and ar
ng TO have this shop rent free six months longer
Is, and after to day you are to charge the regula
mt price for work, for your pay from me stops I
as day."
re This, of course, the barber gladly assented to
"But," said the old man. on leaving, 81 tax
at care you never cheat man by charging tel
times the nsunl price for a shave, for il may b
i" another old Billy Gibbons"
e. pBRNsGROvR.--What IL more pleasant such OK
II haustng weather as this, than n sail on III
broad Delaware, and pic nicng in pleasau
grove on the beach and what is more cOnduciv
81 to health both 10 adults and children lusten
~ Of spending money in medicines and doctor
~ bills, step on board the snug steamboat j. Grit
i0' fifth, on any week day, except Monday aud Thurs
day, with your family and spend the day O
'ui PennsgrOye, under the trees which line ID
~. beach. The excursion will cost you 25 cent.
ny and no charge for your children. and our wor
'n- for ii, It will do moro to keep off the summt
diseases from your family, than Eve times tbs
amount expended in medicine. The boat lenv'
French Street Wharf, at A. NJ. and 2. NJ
0e Try it, aug. I'll