The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1872-12-12

DAoying Millssalre =,
Rv@vbodv No lives in Now Jersey
yin recoIlscs Billy Gibbons, the million
aire. Hevaam eccentric man, an4 nnn-
erona stories srs told of his freaH Herr
II one Of them. "
4 seeus that Billy while in country
v;Ilses, in which no owned some prop.
sffy, stepped into barber shop to get
shaved. The shop was full Of custom
ezs, and.fhs oldSentleman quietely wait
"a for his turn.
A customer who was under the bar
sbsrs handswhch the old geutleusncame
in. asked tho " Knight of the Razor" in
an undertone, who that was, and on re.
csiving . negati-e reply, be informed
him in . whisper, that it was Old Bill.
rITGibbons, the richest man in the State!,
aGpd," said tho barber; Gu charge
hfm'f6r his shave" "
Accordingly, after the old gentleman
had the operation performed, he was
eomewhat surprised upon asking the
price, to be told " seventy.five cents.
aSeventy-fivo cent" said he quietly,
aisn't that rather high price z?
ats MY price" said he Of the lather
brush, independently, and rs thisis the
.only, barber shop in the place, them as
comes into it must pay what ask"
To the old man this was evidently .
knock down argument for he drew three
quarters of dollar from his pocket paid
them over to the barber and loft the shop.
A short time after this he was in close
conversation with the landlord Of u tav-
: en- hsud by, and the topic of fhcir con-
vsrsstion was barber shops"
z7~Why is Il, said he, "thorc's only
enc barber shop in towns Tbereseems
Q be enough Of work for two"
'a'saWell, there used to be two.", said the
landlord, "till this new man came up
from tie city and sopencd a now shop,
and Is everything in it was fresh and
nov, folks sort Of deserted Bill Harring-
toms shop. which has been going on for
nigh fourteen years. vsrrY.y !.
..But didn't this Bill do good work ?
Didn't he shave well and cheap"
sssWell q for that" saidfthe landlord,
aBiil did his work well enough, but his
shop wasn't on the main street like the
new ona and didn't hare. SO many pic
lures and handsome curtains, and folks
got in the way Of thinking the new chap
was more scientific and brought more
seity fsshiens witbshim, thongh to tell the
truth" said the landlord, stroking chin
sown with o beard resembling screen
wire, q I never went . lighter touch or a
keener razor than Bill Harrington's."
"City fashions-eh ?" growIed the old
man, .So-thc newman 81 city, fashions
shut up the other barber shop?"
"WelL not exactly" said the landlord,
"though things did not seem to go well
after the new shop was opened; first one
Of his little children died with fever /;
then his wife was sick a long time, and
Bill had . big bill to pay to the doctors,
then rs last misfortune, his shop was
burned down one night, tools, brushes,
furniture and all, and no insurance."
"Well," said the old man pettishly,
"why didn't he start again :"
Start again r. said the communica-
tive landlord why bless your soul, he
harn't anything to start with"
"H-m-m! Where does this man
live p asked the old man. sra,.e.S
He was directed, and ere long was in
conversation with the unfortunate tonsor
who corroborated the landlords story. =.
"Why don't you take q new shop?"
,e6id fheoh man s. there's Q new one in
the block right opposite the other barber
shop" CSC : Z 2 I --J0 49,"
"What ~ said the other, "you must
be crazy. Why that block belongs to
old Billy Gibbons he'd never let ono of
those stories for a barber shop, they are
almighty sight too good besides that, 1
haven't got twenty dollars in the world
to fit it up with.
-SsrYou know old Billy Gibbons - well
e do" said the other. "Now listen
If you can have that shop all fitted up,
rent free, what will you work it for by
:. .... s.cnthf What is the least you &C.,; c:a
live onw
The proposition somewhat startled the
unfortunate hair.dresser, who finally
found words to stammer out that per-
hps twelve or fifseenF dollars q month
would be about enough.
"Pshaww said the old man, "that
won't do. Now listen to me-IIl give
you that store, rent free, one year, and
engage your services six months, all on
these conditions:
You are to shave and cut hair for every
body that applies to you and take no pay;
Just charge itall to me, and for your
services I'll pay you twenty dollars a
month, payable in advance-pay to COM |
rnence now, continued he, placing two |
notes on the table before the |
Astonished barber, who, it is almost un-
necessary to state, accepted the PROPOSE
EionSand who was still moro surprised
hat it was Billy Gibbons himself who
I'D hired him. -,,- =ds, b |
In few days the inhabitants of that
village were astonished by the appear
lnce Of . splendid new barber shop, tar
the other in elegance of ap.
i6intmSnts and in which with new mugs.
Doaps, raxors and perfumes, stood bar
9er and assistant ready to do duty on
10 heads and boards of the people.
Over the door was inscribed, William
Harrington, Shaving and Hair Dressing
saloon"
The people were not long in ascertain.
NO m a}our IF wall N - fl,n,,,.>Jro. e AZ.