The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-11-02

SHAVING = JEsLE.soNAERE.

eNi'n
an eccentric mau, and numerous stories are told
of his freaks. Here is cue of them:
1t seems that Billy, while in :. country vii
lage, in which L. owned some property, stepped
into a barber shop u s.,s s1.vei The shop was
full OF customers. ead the Ga evu,lesn,n quietly
waited his turn.
4 customer Rh1 0.- a.i.r the BARRIERS
hands, when the oid -.. '...... o'ine IN, asked
the .'kpighs of the razor" /. be know who that
was, and receiving a negative reply informed
him in whisper it was ''od Billy Gibbons
the ri hest man in fhe >'l'".
"Gat," all ,he 5r..-, 81 u eaarge him for
his Sd we"
Accordingly, after the old III Al b.d the opera.
ton performed, he vas samevha' surprised, on
asking the price to be told 'seyeuty-fve cents"
"Seventy five cents 2" sid he quietly. isn't
that rather high price,
ats my price," said .e tt t.e ! thee brush,
Independently "snd as this /. ,Ao Gully barber
shop in the place, them come into it mist pay
what ask"
To the oil man this was evidently knock
down argument, for he drew three quarters of
dollar from his pocket, paid them over te the
barber and left the shop.
A short time after this he Wac in close con.
versation with the laudlor, of q tavern hard by,
and the topic of the conversation was barber
shops.
"Why is it," said he. "rhere's only one barber
shop In town? There seems 20 be nearly
enough work for two
"Well. there used to hc,' said the landlord,
still laat winter WHOM 'hi~ r.v ulau came I'D
from the city, 40 "peu .oy -rDp, nd as
everything in II vs. fr4-h .ud lrs g.. Ks sort of
deserted Bill H ,rrlngton's shop, which had been
going on nigh tnrr'"a" years"
"But diGnt IL /; Il i good e'agli Didn't
he shave we'll and .-cnr,p?"
well, - tor N 4 .ilI the | n Hard "Rill
did his we'll enough hu. is -hop wasn't on the
main street, like the one. aud liin'. h. We 40
many pictures n'.l all r., folk 90. IN the habit
of thnkng the new ch,p a., ~ ne scientific,
and he closed Bills shop ny -ntjr"y,"
well" said the old u.an, p'jti~'lv. why
don't he START again y
''Start a.; a. said the Communicative lind.
thing to rtrt with"
"H-m.m! Where doe. this uan live 7" asked
the old nan.
He W. directed, and ere loo. was in CONVEX.
sstiOn with the unfortunate tol.or, Who oorrobo.
rated the landlords story.
"Wby don't you take up shop There's
anew one in the block right Opposite .he other
barber shop"
"Why, that block belongs to 90 Billv Glib.
bons, he'd never let one of thos" stores tor
barber shop; they are mi'',y sl,ht too you'd
Besides that. l havn't got twenty doll r, ia the
world to fit it up with"
You don't know old Billy G.tU,uS 49, we'll
as DO" sid the other. Now listen Il YOU
can have that shop all fitted up rent free, what
will you work in it for by the month? What is
the least you can live on y
The proposition somewhat startled the unfor.
tunate h'ir.dresser, who finally found words to
stammer out t!.t twelve or fifteen dollars would
be enough.
Pshaw. said the old man; that won't DO
Now listen 20 NELL give you that store rent
free, and engage your services six months all on
these conditions; you are to shave and cut hair
for everybody that applies to you, and take no
pay. just charge it to me, and for your services
I'll pay you twenty dollars a month, payable in
advance, pay to commence now continued be-
placing two ten dollar notes on the table before
the astonished barber, who, it is almost needless
to state accepted the proposition, and was still
more surprised to learn that it was Billy Glib.
bons himself who had hired him.
In few days the inhabitants Of that village
were astonished by the appearance of a splendid
new barber shop, far surprising the other in ele.
gance OF appointments, and in which, with new
mugs, soaps, razors, and perfumes, stood barber
and assistant ready to do duty on the heads aud
boards of the people. Over the door was in.
scribed civilian HARRINGTON, Shaving and
Hair Dressing Saloen."
The people were not long IN ascertaining or
slow IN availing themselves of the privileges of
this establishment, and it is not to be wondered
that it was crowded, and the other deserted.
The other held out some weeks, auspecting this
free shsving-for Bill kept his secret well-was
Out oonge TO entlce customers away, who
would soon be charged usual, but when at
the end of six weeks, he found Billy working
away as usual, charging not cent for his labor,
and having money to spend in the bargain, he
came to the conclusion that he must have drawn
aprlze In the lottery. or stumbled upon gold
mine, and was keeping barber shop for fun; 30
he closed the shOpi in despair and left the place
Meanwhile. Billy Harrington kept on busy
as II bee and one fine morning his EMPLOYER
stepped in. and, without II word, sat down and
was shaved; on rsi'g from bis seat he asked to
see the score for the six months past. The bar.
DER eXhioited 1t, and after careful calculation,
the old man said
"Plenty of customers, oh 2"
Lots of EN-" said the barber; "never did
such business in my life"
"Wel! replied money bags, "you have kept
the account well. see I've paid YOU one hun.
dred and twenty dollars for your seryices-nll
highland there three hundred and thirty
charged for shaving, all that applied nov;
!his furniture cost me one hundred and eight
collars balance due you one hundred and two
COLLARS Here it IL. Now you own this furni.
lure, and are to have this shop rent FREQ ii Y
months longer. aud after 10 Won re 10 .h,r,.
the regular price for "ork, tor yonr pay from
me stops to-day"
ms o. course, the barber gladly ,ssent.d TO-
but, SAID the old rusu nn IT, wing "take
care you never chest n man by cLaryiu, t.,
Tunes the usual price for shave: II NAV h..
another old Billy Gibbons"
"A CHINESE LUXURY.--Thc v.n,test d.;,,v