Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-09-19
The Village Barber.
A PORTRAIT OF A WORTHY WHOM WE ALL
KNOW

The barber smiled tcnderly us he pointed
to the chair, and then led right off as if
he had shaved me every day for month
past. While mixing the lather he re-
marked on the weather, the crops, the
panic, the lost balloonists, and other mat
lers, and although | did not pretend to
hear him he was not TO be beaten.
81 hope you'll do well here, " he said, as
he pushed my head over and dlubed the
lather on my right cheek, commencing at
The butt of the ear.
(Sience on my part.)
This town needs another dry goods
store" he continued after moment, i" and
| shouldn't wonder if you coined money.
(Long silence.)
Perhaps it was the silence which con-
vinced the barber that he had made Il
but he was not discouraged As
he lahcred the left cheek he suddenly
said:
There are three or four lawyers fcre
now, but as Christopher Columbus said,
: There's room ut the top of the heap,
and think you'll be full of business all
the time"
He was looking right down into my face,
and through the foam of lalhtr he might
have detected faint smile, II frown, or
some other expression which hurt his con
ceit He instantly suspected that he had
made another mistake. | WAS looking
into the glass on the wall and saw his
countenance change. Some BARRIERS would
not have pursued the subject farther, but
he was the only barber in the village, and
he felt that he had certain rights which
was bound to respect. He might have
reasoned that was mulish and obstinate,
and needed coaXing and lattering, OF per-
haps he theorized that | WAS timid and
hestaing. and wanted encouraging. AT
any rate he soon attacked me again, say
ing;
This is nice village, but | never saw
so much sickness in my life as we have
had this year. Our doctor don't seem to
know enough to manage the disease, and
Pm glad you are going to open an office.
| am pretty healthy us general thing,
but if | get sick I'll give you my custom
in preference to any one else -
Still watching the glass, saw IL self
satisfied smile ripple across his face. For
about half minute he was dead sure in
his own mind that he had boxed me up
Then shade OF suspicion crossed his face
Silence sometimes gives consent but in
this case, after scrutinizing my face sharply
for an instant, he interpreted it TO mean
that he had bIundered again. He was
veXed. | had no right to sit there and
treat his round-the-corner queries with
such contempluous silence. He would
pay me for such conduct saw the
spirit of resolve creep into his face, and
he said:
Il was saying only the other day that
this town was able to support another
blacksmith shop! Old Jones is good
hearted but be knows no more about shoe
ing II horse than coon does about sailing
IL canal-boat
His eyes glistened, and he took no pains
to keep down the chuckle of satisfaction
bubbling up into his throat. He regarded
it as IL line shot-a crusher-and if he
hadn't been shaving my chin ut that time
| would have been unable to suppress a
laugh.
His razor crossed the chin, scraped up
and down, and skipped around to the Jug
ular vein before the barber's smile faded
He had been watching me to catch II start
of surprise or look of dispeasure, or
something to guide his opinion; and us he
had been unsuccessful, he renewed the
lather on the left check and sighed drear-
lily. hoped he was man of determi-
nation, and trusted that he would not give
up. Fearing that he would, | was about
to speak, when he smiled blandly, and
remarked:
II can tell il school teacher the minute
set eyes on him.
(Lather and sience.)
And its funny toO,' he continued,
"that have shaved every professor in the
Normal School here tie very first morn
ing of his arrival, and have told each and
every one that he was professor before
he said II word to me-"
(Slence and shave.)
"Well, l suppose teaching is good
paying business he went on, us he looked
my face over to see if he had skipped a
spot, land Pm willing to help you all
can. haven't any children-am moi
married-but if ever get married, and
have children, I'll send them to school tc
you
His perSstency and lnttery deserved
some encouragement, but | was determine
ed to hold out to the last ditch. lie shu
up his razor with quick vexed motion
tossed it on the stand regardless of dam
ages, and he smiled maliciously as he go
down his bottle of unadalterated bay rum
knew it would bite like a serpent ant
sting like an adder, but could show les!
stoiciSm than he had shown diplomacy ant
persistency? Didn't | commence th'
struggle?
Shut my teeth, looked straight int
the glass, and he soppcd the fiery stul
over my cheeks and chin. He expected ;
squirm and yell, and his surprise wa
great. The light of revenge had crep
into his eyes, but it quickly faded away
and us he replaced the bottle and wipe'
my face with the towel, and said;
Il never saw but one other man wht
could stand bay rum like that, and he wa
returned Californian. The climate 0
that country hardens the flesh, l suppose?
refused to reply. He got angry again
dug my scalp us he combed my hair, CAV
my head several unnecessary twists, an
knocks and pushes, and he jerked the hi
calico apron of my lap as if he hated me
However, curiosity soon overcame hi
vexation of spirit, and as he brushed M
off he said:
"This town ought to support anothe
undertaken and if can be of any assist
ance in finding you shop you can ca
upon me day or night"
| wouldn't speak, and heard him grit
ting his teeth. He also struck me sewers
hard blows with the brush and once trie
to hit me fair on the nose. | thought
had discouraged him, but just us put o
my hat, and opened the door, he made
last desperate charge. Smiling swcetlA
he inquired;
Less see! Notwithstanding
did you say it was?-Revcrend Nj
Brown?n
didn'tsay. M QUAD
1t is amazing how many excellent eX
cnses men make for not forgiving til