The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-06-12
A CLOSE SHAVE.


ion. All men will take chances bat some mel
will risk everything when this feeling Is upoI
them.
$50 you want old Jack to shave you ?" re
peated the warden, as look of astohishmen
, crossed his face.
YES"
Don't you know that he Is murderer
"Yes"
"And in for life?"
Eyes"
ooh I'd sooner have a snake crawling
over my face than his black fingers which cu
The throat of his wife and two children! What
is to prevent him from cutting your jugulal
vein.
Nothing"
aye. you will take the risk"
Il will want to be shaved by murderer
| want the sensation of having him pass a
keen razor slowly over my face and around
my throat and of knowing that stand in the
door of DEATH"
"Od Jack has been very ugly -tempered OF
late"
II don't care"
There isn't convict in the prison who
doesn't fear his razor"
80 much the better; will take all the
chances"
"You may try it." said the warden, after a
long silence; "but-'
"But nothing. Is there glass IN from, of
the chair"
ayes"
That's all want. Let me 60 into the bal
Der shop alone and make my own arrange.
ments That's it-open the door-so long
don't worry"
Old Jack was one OF the prison BARRIERS.
Every convict knew him as triple murderer.
lie had made awful threats. He had no one
Eos ,,,, l,,,k all dad
and avoided Inn. He was man about so
years old, slightly gray, thick set and no one
could find pleasant line ia his face. AS to
his heart-he'd slashed the Threats OF his
family, piled the corpses in corner, and slept
and ate In the next room until the horrible
odor brought the police and the discovery
Shave" said, as | entered his little den,
threw off my hat and coat and sat down in
his hard char
He was seated on stool behind me, strop-
ping razor. He looked up in SURPRISE
seemed puzzled to know who was, and why
hed come in and then tested the edge of his
razor on his bare thumb. could see all this
in the glass. He looked up in a furtive way,
passed the razor over the strop few times
more and then slowly rose up and began pre-
parlng his lather.
He didn't like me- That was plain enough
by the ugly glances from the corners of his
eyes. had no business IN there in the first
place, and then had probably interrupted
his revere, or broken in on bis plans. He
didn't know whether he would shave me or
not lie stopped making the lather, set his
Jaws more firmly, and the look in his eyes
grew ugly.
Didn't you hear mey | demanded, as |
turned on HIM all of sudden. go ahead
and shave me"
Yes sah ~ he growlcd, as he lifted up the
lathor and 'vanccd
He KIN, did not belong in the prison. He
also reas d that was stranger. 1t puz
zled hin know why had entered his den
as | la been shaved the day previous.
could see that he was bothered, hut was glad
of it, He reasoned with himself all the time
he was putting on the athcr, and he got mad
over it. lie began to see that it was sort of
an intrusion and imposition, and he picked up
his razor with splteful grab Yet | would
aggravate and anger him.
That was horrible deed Of yours" said,
as seated myself in the chair
| could not see his face, and lac made no re-
ply, The razor touched my face, and | felt
that his hand trembled.
They ought to burn you at the stake" !
went on, as his razor made the first cut
could now see his face in the glass, and
his eyes fairly blazed. He clcnched his hand
and raised it to strike but let it fall again after
four or five seconds, and went on with his
work. His hand shook, he breathcd hard and
fast, and yet he had no reply. After he had
Bcrapcd away for a minute, | said:
"You must be a fiend and worse, to do such
deed as that. No wonder that all men hate
and avoid you"
The hand with the razor went up into the
air. His first impulse was to slash me. lie
could seize me by the hair with his left hand
and slash my throat with his right The idea
came to him, and if | had made "A move he
would have carried II out.
Come, hurry up!" said; and his hand
fell and he resumed his work, trembling with
anger and wondering to himself why he did
not take revenge upon me.
All saw a new light shoot into his eyes
like flash, and knew he had plan. lie
had committed three murders. Another would
be nothing to his bad heart He was IN for
life, and his sentence could not be heightened ;
yet he dared not cut my throat with a single
sweep of his hand which he easily might
What was his plan? With eyes half shut
watched and waited. The look in his eyes
grew more crafty he forced a smile to his
wicked face, and tried to laugh as he said:
"Doan' be too hard on de ole man, sab lie
had heap O. trouble"
Yes"
AN isn't so bad as de try to make me out,
sab, he continued. as he wiped beard and
ia,her upon piece of paper lying on my
shoulder
couldn't see his face, 1t was above me- but
the piece of paper fell to the floor on my left
side. He had finished shaving on my right
cheek and would now begin on the left What
was his plaa? What was his idea! 1t came
10 nae in an instant When he had his razor
Just right. his foot would slip on that piece of
Soapy paper! He had dropped it there on
purpose, and il would not be bad excuse
NO isn't 30 very bad, he said as he put
his razor on my left cheek
could see his jaw in the glass, and it was
hardshut as II be was terribly in earnest.
"Well, perhaps not"
0Nohody knoWs how much trouble lie had