The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-14
Shaving n millionaire.

/
him, his disposition of them, or his say
ings, pccnlartics and ccccntricitics.
AStor, Girarl and BILLY Gray have fur
nishcd illustrations for many clever
Skctchcr. We heard few clever anec.
dotcs the other day Of Billy Gibbons, II
New Jersey millionaire, one Of which we
will give our readers.
1t seems that Billy, while in country
village in which hc owned some property,
stepped Into BARRIERS 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 BARRIERS
hands when the old man came in, asked
"knight of the razor" in an undcrtOne,
If he knew who that was, and OF receiv-
ing a negative reply, he informed him in
a whisper that it was old Billy Gibbons,
the richest man in the State"
"Uad.' said the barber, "Tll charge
lin for his shave"
Accordingly, after the old nan had had
that operation pclioI med, he was some
what surprised, on asking the price, to be
told" Scvcnty-ilvc cents.
Scvcntv-iiwe cents !" said he quietly !;
"isn't that rather high price 2"
ITS my price," said the lathcr-bruSh,
independently, land as this is the only
ba"bcr's shop in the place, them rs comes
into it must pay what ask"
To the old man THIS was evidently II
knock,lown argument, for he drew three
quarters of dollar from his pocket, paid
them over to the barber, and left the shop.
A short time after, he was in close con
vcr>ation with the landlord OF n tavern
hard by, the topic Of convcrsation-bar-
bcr shops.
"Why is it, said he, "thcrc's only
one BARRIERS shop in town? There seems
to be nearly enough work 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, and as everything in it was
fresh and new, folks sort of deserted Bill
lIarrington's shop, which had been going
OH for nigh fourteen years"
"But didn't this Bill do good work
didn't he shave well and-chcap?"
"Wcll, ms for that" said the landlord,
B3iiilll B3iiilll did his trk well enough atstt cheap
enough, but his shop wasn't on the main
street, like the new one, and didn't have
so many pictures and handsome curtains,
and folks got into the way OF thinking the
new chap was more scientific and brought
more city fashions with him, though, to
tell the TRUTH" said the landlord, stroking
chin sown with q beard resembling
screen wire, 81 never want n lighter
touch or kccnrr razor than Bill llar'
rington'S." =.
"City faShions-ch 2" growled the old
man. $50 the new mans city fashions
shut mp the other BARRIERS shop"
"Wcll, not exactly said the landlord,
Though things never did scrm to 80 well
with Bill after the new shop opened; first
one Of his children died Of II fever, then
his wife was sick long time, and Bill
had big Lll to pay at the doctors then,
as last misfortune, his shop burned down
one night, tools, brushes, furniture and
all, and no Insurance"
"Well," said the old man, Pcttishly
"why don't he start again"
start again! said the communica'
tive landlord, "why, bless your soul, ht
hasn't got any thing to start with"
"H.m.m! Where does this man livc?'
asked the old man.
lie was directed, and ere long was il
conversation with the unfortunate tonsor
who corrohoraled the landlords story.
"Why don't you take new shop?'
said the old man. there's new one IL
the block right opposite the other barber
shop"
what" said the other, "you mus
be crazy. Why, that block belongs tC
old Billy Gibbons he'd never let one o
those stores for BARRIERS shop; they arr
Il mighty sight too good. Besides that,
havn't got twenty dollars in the world tt
fit it up with"
"You don't know old Billy Gibbons a'
well as | do" said the other. Nov
listen to me. If you can have that shol
fitted up, rent free, what will you work
in it for by the month y-what is the leaS
you can live on!
This proposition somewhat startled thu
unfortunate hair dresser, who finally tount
words to stammcr out that perhaps twelve
or fifteen dollars month would be abou
enough.
"PShaw!" said the old man, tina
won't do-now listen to mc-lll give yol
that store, rent free, one year, and engage
your services six months, all on thcs'
conditions You are to shave and cut hal
for every body that applies to you, ant
take no pay just charge it all to me, ant
for your services I'll pay you twenty dol
lars month, payable in adyance-pa>
to commence now" continued hc placing
two ten dollar notes on the table bcfor'
the astoniShcd barber-who, it is almoS
unnecessary to state, accepted the propo
sition, and who was still more SurmiSct
to learn that it was Billy Gibbons himsel
who had hired him.
In few days the Inhabitants OF tina
village were astoniShcd by the appearance
Of splendid new BARRIERS shop, far sur
passing the other in elegance Of appoint
mcnts, aud in which, with new mugs
soaps, razors and perfumes, stood bar
Der and assistant ready to do duty on tn
heads and boards Of the people. Over tn
door was inscribed, civilian Harrington
Shaving aud Hair Dressing Saloon"
The people were not long in ascertain
ing or Slow in availinS themselves of tn
privileges of this establishment, aud It /
not to be wondered that it was crowdc'
and the other deserted. The other hell
out some weeks, suspecting this free sha
ving-for Bill kept his secret well-wa
but dodge to Cntice customers away
who would soon be charged as uSual bu
: when, ut the end Of six weeks, he ioun'
Bill working as usual, charging not cen
for his labor, aud having money to Spcn'
into the bargain, he came to the conclu
sion that he must have drawn prize II
the lottery, or stumbled upon gold mine
and was keeping BARRIERS shop for fur
SO he closed his shop in despair and lei
the place.
Meantime Bill Harrington kept on bus
MS bee, and one fine morning his EN-
ployer stepped in, and without a wOr
sat down aud was shaved; on rising frol
his chair he asked to see the score for th
, six month past Tho barber exhibited
+. and after careful examination, the ol