The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-09-18
The Barber Of Cadix.

tered the sleeping chamber of the Senior
Alava, Chief Alcade of Cadiz. For
twenty years Nuuez had come every
morning, precisely at nine O'Clock. to
embellish the grave visage of Senor
Alava, and now, for the first time, the
worthy man found himself in the pres
ence of-his most important patron at
least twenty minutes too late.
The magistrate, 1t is true, had not re-
marked ttis slight delinquency, for he
was busted in counting out several large
sums in gold and silver, which were
ranged in piles and rolls upon his secre-
tary.
This engrossing occupation prevented
him, also, from observing the singular
emotion which the barber was unable to
conceal, on entering the chamber, an
emotion which could scarcely be as
cribed to his fear Of having kept the
senor waiting. The face, and indeed the
whole person of the poor fellow, were
disturbed in a manner which would
have appeared extremely comic, had il
not been tor the sad and gloomy expires.
sion OF his eyes, which, were wet with
tears. His glance flashed with pecu.
liar gleam, followed by an involuntary
shudder as it fell upon the precious
metal, which lay upon the secretary,
sight that seemed greatly to increase
his repugnance to perform, on this day,
his accustomed functions.
81 am ready, Pedro" said the unsus-
pieious Alava, seating himself in his
arm chair, without the slightest thought
of taking the precaution TO close his Sec
retary.
The barber passed napkin about the
neck of the magistrate, opened his box,
but forgetting what he wished to take
from it, mistonk his razor for his soap
and his brush for his powder puff; then
ne extorted frightful grimace from the
worthy alcade by suddenly drenching
his chin with boiling water.
"How now, Nunezw said the scalded
magistrate, "What are you about? what
has made you SO needless and aWkw ard
this morningw
The poor man grew as red as If the
boiling water had been poured upon his
own cneeks.
''Pardon me, your excellencyW he
stammered, timidly.
Then, passing at once from one ex-
treme TO another, he poured SO much
cold water in his soap box that the
Senior Alava, this time, telt as though he
were lathered with an icicle. lie SUBJ
mltted quietly, however, to the opera
tion, and began, according to his GUS
tom, to question Nunez concerning po-
litical news and the affairs of the city; ;
but, instead of giving, as was usual with
him, the reins to his love OF mischief and
of gossiping, the barber replied only in
mnnnev HAS and in fayy mnmo
dropped the conversation. The alcade
saw that he would be obliged to forego
on this day the amusing wit OF his daily
Figaro, and, without taking the trouble
to inquire into the cause of his singular
conduct, he wisely. resigned himself to
his own reflections, lingering, the while,
the nearest bag of crowns, which lay half
emptied upon the edge OF his secretary.
The agitated barber then grasped his
razor, and began to pass it across the
magistrates whitish cheeks; but not
witnstanding all his efforts to tx his at
tention upon this delicate operation, be
was unable to withdraw his thoughts
from the objects which called them else-
where, and chiefly toward the tempting
treasures OF the Senior Alava. His hand
trembed whenever he turned his eyes
in that direction, and the fitting cloud
which at these moments passed over his
brow, was like the shadow OF the dark
thoughts which swept across his soul.
These thoughts seemed to grow more
poignant ana more terrible, when the
aIcade leaned his head upon the back OF
his chair, in order to offer his chin to the
edge OF the razor. An indescribable az
itation might then have been remarked
in the movements and looks OF the unior-
tunate NuneZ. He cast a bewildered
glance from the face OF the magistrate to
the secretary, loaded as it was with gold
and silver, passed his trembling hand
across his brow, which was covered with
a cold sweat; then, suddenly grasping
at the Senior Alava, VINO sat with his
head thrown back and his throat ex-
posed-he cast his razor far from him,
with fearful cry, and disappeared from
the chamber at full speed, as il carried
of by demons:
This precipitate flight, while it reused
the alcade from his agreeable medita-
tions, excited in his soul fearful suspi-
ei0n.
~ am robbedw he cried without even
glancing at his money, to assure himself
whether there were any foundation for
an accusation, which branded the char
acter of q man whom he had esteemed
for his honesty, and who had enjoyed
his confidence Tor twenty years.
lTOu LuS CudmUtl, NC Suul-
mOned his domestics, and dispatched a
band Of alguazils to arrest the fugitive
and bring him into his presence.
In about a quarter OF an hour Pedro
Eunez was brought before the Senior
Alava. The latter had by this time,
although 100 late, satisfied himself that
not a siugle piece OF money had been
distracted from his treasures. Besides, |
the fugitive, far from endeavoring to
conceal himself, had gone directly and
openly to his humble shop, and when
the alguazils arrived, they found him
In the midst of his family, who were
overcome with surprise and terror.
When arrested, he offered no resistance.
This worthy ana honest family, indig-
nant at the suspicion thus cast upon the
father, unmoyed by prayer or menace,
mad refused TO be separated from him,
and were now here, trembling and bathed
in tears, in the alcadeIs chamber, TO-
gether with the domestics OK the house
and The agents Of the police. A charm
Ing young girl, the last and dearest child
Of the barber, attracted the attention of
all by the violence OF her protestations
and ny her heart-rending sobs. AL
though her fathers arrest was the occa-
sion OF this grief, yet it was evidently |