Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-08-11
SHAVING NGAmE.LIoNAIRE.

From the Boston Commercial CiulIetin.l
! Let any man become immensely wealthy by
! bis own eXeriions, 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, peculisTities and eccentricites.
Astor, Girard and Billy Gray have furnished
! illustrations for many clever sketcher. We
heard few clever anecdotes the other day of
! Billy Gibbons, New Jersey millionaire, one
Of which we will give our readers.
! Il seems that Billy, while in country viii
| lage in which he owned some property, stepped
/ into a baTber'S shop to get shaved The shop
| was full Of customers, and the old gentleman
/ quietly waited for his turn.
A customer who was under the baTbeT's
| hands when the old Hsn came in, asked the
! "knigbt Of the razor" in an under tone, If he
| knew who that was, and on receiving a mega
tive reply, be informed him, in a whisper, it
| was "Old Billy Gibbons, the richest man in
! the State"
"Gad," said the barber, "I'll charge him for
! his shave "
Accordingly after the old man had had that
/ operation performed, be was somewhat sur
prised, upon asking the price, to be told
/ "seventy five cents"
Seventy-fve cents !" said he quietly, "Isn't
/ that ra.her high price?"
! "It's my prce,o said he of the lather-br brush
/ independently, "and al this ia the only bar
/ hers STOP in the place, them as Coues into 1t
must pay what / ask"
To the old man this was evidently knock
/ down argument, for he drew three-quaTters Of
a dollar from bis pocket, paid them over to the
! barber, and left the shop.
! A short time after he was in close conversa-
! ton with the landlord Of q tavern hard by,
/ and the topic of conversation" barber's
shops"
"Why is it, . said he, there's only one
barber's shop in town? there seems to be
/ nearly enough work for two"
! Well, there used to be two," said the land
/ lord, 'tili last winter, whea this new man
came up from the city and opened new shop,
| and az everything in it was fresh and new,
! folks sort Of Gesertsd Bill Harrington's shop,
which had been going on for nigh fourteen
years"
But didn't this Bill DO good work? didn't
/ be shave well, and-cheap"
" Well, a for that" said the landlord, "Bill
| di his work we'll enough and cheap enough,
| but his shop WASN'T on the Lain street, like
the new one, ana didn't have so many pictures
and handsome curtains, and folks got in the
way of thinking the new chap was more scen-
| tifc and brought more city fashions with him,
! though, to tell the ruth" said the landlord,
| stroking chin sown with beard resembling
screen wire, al never want a lighter touch, or
| a keener razor, han Bill Harrington's."
! City fashiOns-eh - growled the OLD man.
" So the new mans city fashions shut up the
other bdrber's shop"
Well, not exactly" said the landlord,
| " though things never did seem TO 90 well with
/ Bill after the new shop opened-fiTst one of
/ bis little children died Of q fever, then his wife
was sick long time, ard Bill had a biz bill to
| pay at the DOCTORS, then as a last misfortune
his shop burned down one night, tools brushes,
/ furniture and all, and no Insurance."
"Well," said the old man pettIshlY, "why
don'J be start agan?"
"Start again - said the communicative
landlord, " Why, bless your soul lie hasn't got
/ anything to start with"
HIM! Where does this man live -
asked the old man.
He was directed, and ere long was in con-
versa'ion with the uLforun ton5or, who
/ corroborated the landlords story.
Why doH'C you take new shop" said the
old man, there's 4 new one in the block right
opposite the other BARRIERS shop"
"Whatl' said the other, "you must be crazy.
| Why that block belongs to old Billy Glbbors
he'd never let one Of these stores for barber's
shop; they are mighty sight teo good, beside,
that ! havn't got twenty dollars in the world
TO it it up with"
"You don't know old Billy Gibbons as well
! as DO" said the other. "Now listen to me
IF you can have that shop all fitted up rent
free, what will you work in it foT by the month?
what is the least you can live on?"
TAis proposition somewhat startled the un-
| fortunate hair dresses, who finally found words
/ t. stammer QUO that, peTh aps, twelve or fifteen
dollars month would be about enough.
"Pshswl" said the old man, chat won't do
now listen to me-Fil give you that store, rent
| free, one year, and engage your services six
I months, all on these conditions. Foa are To
/ shave and cut hair for everybody that applies
/ to you, and take no pay; jlst charge it all to
me, and for your seTvicss-pay to commence
noU,2 continued be, placing two ten dollar
notes on the table before as onished barber
] who il is almost unnecessary to state, accepted
tie proposition, and who was still more sur
! p-ised 10 learn that it was Billy Gibbons him
sef who had hired him.
In few days the inha abjtants Of that village
were astonished by the appearance Of a spler,I
did new barber's shop, far surpa ssng the otbri
in elegance Of appointments, and 10 whicaJ
/ with new mugs, soaps, Tazors and perfumes,
steod barber and assistant ready to DO duty
on the heads and boards of the people. Over
the door was Inscribed, WIN. Harrington,
Sharing aud Hair Dressing Saloon.
The people were not long in ascertaining or
slow in avsiIing themselves CT tho privileges Of
this establishment, and it is not to be wondered
that II was crowded and the other deserted.
The other bcld out some weeks, suspectiug
this free shaYiDg-for Bill kept bis secre. well
was but a dodge TO entlce customers away,
who would soon be charged as usual; but
when at toe end Of six weeks be found Billy
working away as usual, charging not a cent
for his labor, and having money to spend into
the bargain, he came to the conclusion that be
must have drawn q prize in the lottery, OF
stumbled upon gold mine, and was keeping a
barber shop for fun, so be closed his shop in
despair, ard left the place.
Meantime "Bll HsTiDgtoun kept on busy
as bee, and one fine morning bis employer
stepped in, and, without word, sat down and
was shaved; on rising from his chair be asked
to see the score for the SIX months past. Tb,
barber exhibited it, and after a careful calcu
lstion, the old man said:
"Plenty Of customers, eh?"
fLots Of 'em," said the barber; "never di.
such a business in my lfe!0
"Well," replied Money Bags, "you bavt
E kept the account well. / sne Pve paid 70.
one hundred AMI twenty dollars for services
all right-and there are three hundred anc
: thirty charged for all shaving that applied
I now, this furniture cost one hundred an
eight dollars balance due you, ,one hundred On,
two dollars. Here it is. Now you own tbi
: furniture; and are to have this shop rent fire.
b. six months longer, and after TO day you ar
to charge the regular price for work, for you
$ pay from me stops to-day"
This of course the barber gladly assent
t ed to.
u "But," said the old man, OF leaving, "tal
care you never cheat A man by charging te
: times the usual price for shave; for it ma
b be another old Billy Gibbons"
c An ola EneuIy Returned,
q It is twenty years or more since the "gra
worm ;, or Weeyil. Z il is eFrOn sDuslV called