Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-03
From ALI the Year Round,
DOG WORSHIP.

Rem an ordinary BARRIERS shop, into
which man might, if he felt so dis
posed, step for the purpose of being
,shaved, or of having his hair brushed.
It will be easily understood, then, that
I was not 8 little astonished, on push
ing open the door and taking two
downward steps, to discover the pro-
prietor, in his shirt sleeves and with a
white bibbed apron on, busy with the
taols of his craft on four footed GUS
temer-a shaggy coated dog of the
smallest size.
It was evident that the favored ami
NAL had just been luxuriating in a
warm bath. With tender solicitude
the barber was rubbing him dry, and
the atmosphere of the shop was laden
With the fragrance of brown Windsor
soap. The dog and the barber did not
have it all to themselves, however.
The operation in progress was watched,
With moody interest, by an individual
Of not particularly prepossessing ap.
8aaranee-a seedy and threadbare man
u, 'iabby black, who looked like an
esat of-work tailor or weaver. I
sao<lght, at the moment, that the pair
gave guilty start as I appeared be-
fore them, and I straigntway came to
the sagacious conclusion that, by
chance, I had stumbled on discovery
similar to that which was revealed to a
certain man who went down to Jericho.
Ii was IS clear g case as possible. The
Lanky man with the threadbare coat
and the hungry visage, although posi-
bly, a tailor or a weaver by trade, had
assayed to improve his fortune by dog
stealing. I knew that when a watch
vas stolen the thief's first business was
10 carry it to an obliging friend, who
would erase such marks and numbers
rs might lead to its Identification.
There would be no question that the
barber was confederate of the dog
soealer, and that by skillful use Of
she scissors-and, perhaps, of hair
dye also-Was able to so alter an ami
arai's appearance that even its fond
mistress would find it difficult to swear
50 1t.
aIf you will only take seat, sir,
and amuse yourself with the newspa-
ner for five minutes" remarked the
Barber, civilly, "I shall be at your SER
vice" It was q ticklish situation.
-1znere was once barber, Sweeney
zssdd, by name. if I rightly rem ember,
vino kept a shop in Fleet street, os-
teosibly for cutting hair and moving
seards, but whose real business was the
cutting Of human threats. There was
g @xap-door in the floor of Sweeney's
shop on which the victims chair was
placed, and, after he had been lather-
ed Me-. Todd would say, Just tilt your
head little further back, sir, so as
may get at the underneath part /"
And then-slish and in jiffy the body
was robbed, the bolt that held the trap
Withdrawn, splash was heard in the
tarbulently flowing Fleetwood ditch
aeiow, and a mop and handful OF
clean sawdust made the shop clean and
tidy for the next customer. Might not
as1ss be the fate IN store for nae, the
yiiIainous haircutter's suavlty being
merely blind need not be shaved
al Sill events; | would merely have my
hair brushed and my whiskers trim
med. An assault with pair of scissors
insight be painful; but it Was hardly
likely that the first snick would do my
business, and in tussle / felt pretty
confident who would get the best of it.
Sa sat down and opened out the news
aaper. before carelessly observing that
[ was In no hurry; at the same time
resolved to diligently watch and listen.
Remarked the moody man to the
barber. "Are you sure that you
xyencheo all the soap out OF MS hair