The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-08-13
Shaving a millionaire.

IL will recollect Billy Gibbons, the mil
lionaire. He was an eccentric man, and
numerous stories are told Of his freaks.
Here is one Of them:
It seems that Billy, while in country
village, in which he owned some property,
stepped into barber's 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 barber's
hands when the old gentleman came in,
asked the "knight of the razor, in an I'M
dertone, If he knew who that was? and on
receiving negative reply, he informed him,
in whisper, it was "Old Billy Gibbons,
the richest man in the State" l- nr
Z" Gad," said the barber, "I'll charge
him for his shave" nUt
Accordingly after the old man had had
that operation performed he was somewhat
surprised upon asking the price to be told
"seventy-lve cents.'
"Seventy-fve cents ~ said he, quietly,
"isn't that rather a high priceP" 4
"It's my price" said he of the lather-
brdsh, independently, "and as this is The
only barber's shop in the place, them as
comes into II must pay What / ask"
To the old man this was evidently a
knockdown argument, for he drew three
quarters of dollar from his pocket, paid
them over 70 tho larber, and left the
shop.
l A short time after he was in close CONVEX
sation with the landlord of a tavern hard
by, and the topic of conversation was bar
bers' shops"
"Why is it," said lie, "there's only one
barber sliop 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
new shop, and as every thing in it was
fresl and new, folks sort of deserted Bill
Harrington's shop, which had been going
for nigh fourteen years." M
"But didn't this Biz do good work
Didn't he shave well, and-cheap ?'
"Well, as for that" said the landlord,
"Bill did his work wei, enough, but his
shop wasn't Oh the main street like the new
ono and didn't have so many pictures and
handsome curtains, and folks got il the
way of thinking the new. shop was more
scientific and brought more city fashions
with him, though, to tell the TRUTH" said
the landlord, striking chin sown with a
beard resembling screen wire, 81 never
want lighter touch or keener razor than
Bill Harringtons."
"City fashions-eh ~ growled the old
man. $50 the new mans city fashions shut
ur the old barber's slop?"
"Well," not exactly" said the landlord,
"thougl things never did seem to go we'll
with Bill after the new shop opened; first,
then his wife was sick long time, and Bill
had big bill to pay at the Doctors; then
as last misfortune his shop burned down
one night, tools, brushes, furniture and all,
and no insurance"
swell, said the old man, pettishly, "why
don't he start againP"
"Start again ~ said the communicative
landlord; "why, bless your soul, he hasn't
got anything to start with"
"H-m-nil Where does this man live?"
asked the old man.
He was directed, and ere long was in con-
versation with the unfortunate tonsor, who
tnI Il, otn
"Why don't you take a new shorP" said
the old man; "there is a new one in the
block right opposite the other barber's
shop"
"What ~ said the other, "you must be
crazy. Why, that block belongs to old
Billy Gibbons; he'd never let one of those
stores for abarber's shop; they are mighty
sight too good besides that, l haven't got
twenty dollars in the world TO fit it up
with"
"You don't know old Billy Gibbons as
well as do" SAID the other. "Now listen.
If 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 P'
This proposition somewhat startled the
unfortunate hair-dresser, who finally found
words to stammer out that perhaps twelve
or fifteen dollars would be about enough.
"Pshaw p said the old man, "that won't
do. Now listen to me-I'll 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;