The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-10-17

/ day evening budnesgwas immense, over.
WIDENING. A thescustomers stood Waiting
| for their turns they were packed ~ thick
Al herriurs In q barrel. They were mostly
I coal-hesyers. Goals are beneficial TO the
growth Of besrds; though detrimental to
razora. Can Il be wondered at that my
! arms grew feeble and my eyelids heavy
II had no assistants--I always scorned as
sistance. I was happy, for on the morrow,
on that very Sunday which was SO close n
hand, was to wed my Jemima. y Je.
mimal II was halfpast ii o'clock, and u
seemed as il were to have no more custo.
mers that night. But / did not close until
twelve, and my razOrs were oil blunted so
determined to get one Of them thoroughly
sharp before shut the shop. took one,
and honed It, and stropped it and stropped
II until It was in wonderful order, and fit
/ to shave the down from the cheek Of
peach. This razor that | have just pre-
pared for you is the nearest approach TO II
that have ever seen."
He passed the razor q few times over
the palm of his hand, and resumed:
ait was close on the stroke of twelve.
nut ND the shutters and partly closed the
door, was about to turn off the gas, be-
lieyipg that work was over for the night,
when one more customer entered. knew
him well. I had shaved him before. He
was little, old, weazen man. He was the
clerk of the parish church, to which l
sometimes went. His throat was long and
skinny, and its larynx was very prominent.
The larynx of your throat, and the barber
stepped back pace and looked at me with
the air of q connoisseur, reminds me forcibly
of his. He was bachelor, and was sup
posed to have money. His name was
Towzerw
The barber was moved to tears. While
he wept looked at my watch; it was
twenty minutes after twelve. But the
barber seemed more rational than before.
hoped soon to get away. :,
"The old man seated himself" continued
the barber, "and pointed to his chin.
lathered him, and began to shave. ! got
on very we'll with his upper lip and the
upper part of his chin, but when came to
the region of the throat, being somewhat
sleepy, made slip, and drew blood. The
old clerk was very angry. apologized,
and began again. In an instBnt-in a mo-
ment-a sudden choking fit of coughing
seized him, and before could withdraw
nv hand his throat came forward with a
violent jerk against the keen edge OF the
razor, and the blood spurtcd out. He fell
down in wet heap on the floor, and was
dead almost directly"
The barber paused, and pressed his hand
to his head. was horribly startled at this
unlooked-tor incident in the tale. l had
expected something mournfully senti-
mental about Jemima.
He continued, and his manner became
again excited:
81 fled at once; fed all night, all next
day. for week, for month, for six months !;
straight on, straight on, through fire, water,
wind, hail, snow, fog, mist, thunder, soda
water, and trcacle. But the pursuers were
on the track, they were close behind, l
heard them coming. escaped them. The
means by which escaped shall never re-
veal, as may want them again. short
time since l arrived in this town. l came,
concealed in the steam of an express en-
CINE. This shop was to be let. took it.
| put constraint upon my tongue and
upon nv features. No one suspected me.
Last night was the Tower anniversary.
As it approached l felt that something
must happen. did not 60 to bed. You
would not have had me 60 to bed, would
you? Very we'll, then, don't look as II
YOU would. | staid alone in the shop.
From halfpast eleven to twelve l en-
ployed myself in stropping razor-thls
one-as l had done then. At the stroke Of
twelve old Tower came in through the
closed door, and seated himself in the chair
where YOU now sit. could not help myself.
advanced to shave him. But he motion
ed me back, and said, in the same creak-
ing voice in which he used to say Amen,
Tomorrow one customer will come into
your shop. Only one. Shave him ! Shave
him! Shave him as you Shdued MEL, lie
pointed to his throat, and vanished. nave
been thinking over the matter, and have
arrived at the conclusion that am not
necessarily bound to cut your throat. did
not cut the old mans; he did it himself;
and therefore I hope that all may yet be
we'll. If can shave you without drawing
a drop of blood you will escape. But If
accidentally cut you, as did Tower, the
coincidence will be so remarkable that L
shall feel myself bound to go on. You see
the point? Ever since that terrible night
l have not been able to see drop OF blood
but must see more more more
At this time the carriage drove up to
Julia's door, having returned from its fruit
less Journey to the church. l heard the
steps let down, and the house door open
and shut, and then l heard the carriage
drive off. But could see only dimly, for
l felt sick and faint.
The barber also heard, and looked to-
ward the window. AS he again turned to
me thought saw a smile fit over his
features. felt somewhat encouraged.
"Why, you are still trembling" he said.
az cannot proceed, with any hope OF safety,
until you are more quiet"
] was glad to hear him say that; for,
dreadful as was my present position, any
thing was better than that he should CON-
mence the use of the razor under the ter
rible conditions he had mentioned. Lend
ing somewhat unnecessary aid to nature,
shook to such an extent that the barber,
mad as he was, looked positively alarmed.
As l heard his next words ] could
scarcely believe my ears.
"Why, you are getting worse than eyer,''
said he, "and my hand might be more
steady, too. had no rest last night. Now,
Tll tell you what Well do. Let us take
forty winks apiece-you in that chair
in this. The one who wakes first shall call
the other, and then we will proceed to bust.
ness. A nap viii calm our nerves. What
do you say %