The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-08-15
SHAVING A MILLIONAIRE.

\ SHAVING A MILLIONAIRE.
Everybody who lives in New
Jersey viii reeollect Bill Gibbons
the millionaire. He was an ecoen.
trio man, and numerous stories are
told of his freaks. Here ia one O.
them: =
1t seems that Billy, while in
country village, in which he owned
some property, stepped into barber
shop to get shaved. The shop wa.
full of customers, and the old gen
ueman quietly waited for his turn.
A customer who was under the
BARRIERS hands when the old gentle.
man came in asked the ssknight OF
the razor" in an undertone, If he
knew who that was and, on reoeiy.
ing q negative reply, he informed
him in whisper, that it was .sOld
Billy Gibbons, the richest man in
the State" a iE gT 90
Cad, said the barber, 'I'll charge
him for his shave
Accordingly, after the old man
had had that operation performed,
he was somewhat surprised on ask.
ing the price to be told 'seventy-6ve
cents
'Seventy-fve cents 70 said he,
quietly, isn't that rather q high
pricer
'It's my price, said he of the lsth.
srbrush, independently, "and as this
is the only BARRIERS shop in the
place, them as comes into it must
pay what ask ...a a.s..-. E
To the old gentleman this was ev.
identity a knook-down argument fol-
he drew three quarters of a dolla,
from his pocket paid them over &c
the barber and left the shop. ...
A short time after he was in close
conversation with the landlord of q
tavern hard by, and the topic Of
conversation was BARRIERS shops
'Why is it, said he, there's only
one BARRIERS shop in town? There
seems to be nearly work enough 70,
two ....
well, there used to be two said
the landlord, till last winter, when
this new man came up from the CITY
and opened new shop, and as every
thing in it was fresh and new, folks
sort of deserted Bill Harrington'i
shop, which had been going for nigh
fourteen years.
But didn't this Bill do good work,
Didn't he shave well snd-cheap 2
well, as for that said the land
lord, Bill did his work well enough
but his shop wasn't on the maiI
street like the new one, and didn't
have so many pictures and fancy
curtains, and folks got in the way Of
thinking the new shop was more
scientific and brought more city fash
ions with it. though, to tell the
truth said the landlord, striking .
chin sowu with, beard resembling
screen wire, 'Inever want . lighter
touch or q keener razor than Bill
Harrington's.' % ...Il
'City fashiens-eh? p growled the
old man. SO the new mans city
fashions shut up the other BARRIERS
shopsp'
well, not exactly said the land
lord, though things never seemed Il
go well with Bill after the new shoI
opened:-first, one Of his little chill
dren died of fever; then bis wifi
was sick q long time, and Bill had
big bill to pay at tho doctors; then
as last misfortune, his shop burned
down one night, tools, brushes, fur
niture, and all, and no insurance.
'Well,' said the old man pettishly
why don't he start again p
Start again = said the communi
cative landlord; why, bless you
soul he hasn't got anything to star
with 80
'H-m-ml Where does this mai
live p asked the old man.
He was directed, and ere long ht
was in counsel with the unfortunat
tonsor, who corroborated the land
lords story.
why don't you take new shop :
said the old man there's new on,
in the block right opposite the othe
BARRIERS shop H.. ..
'What 7 said the other, you mus
be crazy. why, that block belongI
to old Billy Gibbon; he'd never LEI
one of these stores for q BARRIERS shoI
they are mighty sight too good ; be
sides that, I havn't got twenty dol
lars in the world to fit it up with
you don't know old Billy Gibbon
as we'll as I do said the other
Now listen to me. If you can hsv,
that shop all fitted up, rent free
what will you work in it for by tn,
month ? what is the least you Cal
live onp'
This proposition somewhat start
led the unfortunate hair dresser, VIII,
finally found words to stammer on
that perhaps twelve or fifteen dollar
o month would be about enough.
'Pshaw?' said the old man 'ths
won't do. Now listen to me-I'l
give you that store, rent free, on
year, and engage your services 81:
months, all on these conditions. Yo
are to shave and cut hair for every
body that applies to you, and tax
no pay; just charge it all to me, an
for your services I'll pay you tweI
| ty dollars a month, payable in &C
vance-pay to commence now COZ
tinued he, placing two ten dolls
notes on the table before the aston
ished barber-who, it is almost VI
necessary to state, accepted the prop
osition, and who was still more sun
prised to learn that it was Billy Gil
bon himself who hired HIM.
In a few days the inhabitants of ths
village were astonished by the ar
pearance OF asplendid new barber
shop, far surprising the other in az
pearance and appointments, and i
which, with new mugs, soap, razori
and perfumes, stood O barber an
assistant ready to do duty on th
heads and boards Of the people
Over the door was inscribed, sWl
lam Harrington, Shaving and Hal,
dressing Saloon
| The people were not long in al
pertaining or slow in awaiting them
selves of the privileges of bis estat
lishment, and it is not to be won
dered that it was crowded and th
other deserted. The other held on
some weeks, suspecting this fire.
shaving-for Bill kept his secret WEI
was but dodge to entice custom
era away, who would soon be charges
as usual but at the end of six week
! he found him working way az usual