The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-09-13
MGstellaneous.
SHAVING A MILLIONAIRE.

Let any man become Immensely wealthy
by his own exertions, and straightway you
shall hear numerous anecdotes illustrating
the means by which he attained his riches,
the effect they have upon him, his disposition
Of them, or his sayings, peculiarities and &C.
centricities.
Astor, Girard and Billy Gray have fur
nished illustrations for many clever sketch
er. We heard few clever anecdotes the
other day of Billy Gibbons, a New Jersey
millionaire, one Of which VIC will give our
readers.
II seems that Billy, while in u country
village in which he owned some property,
stepped into BARRIERS shop to get shaved.
The shop was full of customers, and the old
gentleman quietly waited his turn.
A customer who was under the barber's
hands, when the old man came in, asked the
knight Of the razor, in an undertone, il he
knew who that was, and on receiving neg
ative reply, he informed him, in whisper,
il was
"old Billy Gibbons, the richest man in
the State"
"Gad," said the barber, "lll charge him
Tor has shave"
Accordingly, after the old man had had
that operation performed, he was somewhat
surprised, on asking the price, to be told
"Seyenty-fve cents"
"Saventy.6ve centsl" said he, quietly,
"isn't that rather high price9'
"It's my price," said he of the lather-
brush, Independently, "and as this is the
only barber's shop in the place, them as
comes into it must pay what | ask"
A short time alter he was in close cOnyer-
sation with the landlord of tavern hard
by, and the topic of conversation was bar
bers' shops.
"wby is it there's only one harber's shop
in town? There seems to be nearly work
enough for two"
"well, there used to be two," said the
landlord, "till last winter, when this new
man came up from the city and opened a
new shop, aud as everything in it was fresh
and new, FOLKS sort of deserted Bill llarring-
tons shop, which had been going on for
nigh fourteen years"
"well, as for that" said the landlord,
"Bill did his work well enough and cheap
enough, but his shop wasn't on Main street
like the new one, and didn't have 50 many
pictures and handsome curtiins, and folks
got in the way of thinking that the new chap
was more scientific and brought more city
fashions with him, tho, to tell the truth" }"
said the landlord. stroking chin sown with
a beard resembling screen wire, al never
want q lighter touch, or keener razor than
Bill HarrinstOn's."
"Ci,y fashions -ch!" growled the old
man. $50 the new mans city fashions shut
up the other mans shopl"
"well, not exactly" said the landlord,
though things never did seem to 90 well with
Bill after the new shop opened; frst, one Of
his little children died Of fever, then hi:
: wife was sick long time, and Bill had a
big bill to pay at the Doctors; then as a last
misfortune his shop burned down one night
tools, brushes, furniture and all, and no in
surance."
J, "well," said the old man, pettishly, "wh,
, don't he start again'"
, Start again." said the communicative
. landlord. "why, bless your soul, he hasnN
got anything to start with"
"H-m-m. Where does this man live!
g asked the old man.
: lie was directed, and ere long was in con
o versatiOn with the unfortunate tonsor, wht
Il corrOborated the landlords story.
. "why don't you take new shop?" sait
Is the old man there is q new one in the blocl
Il righ, opposite TO the other BARRIERS shop
Q "what," said the other. 'you must b
Q crazy. Why that block belongs to Bill,
Q Gibbons; he'd never let one Of those store