Sharp County record., 1881-06-30
I BARBER'S STORY.

In the village Of EasteFbrOok there IS
a solitary weekly paper. which do-es out
such items Of news as are not Of inter-
est enough to give OtfeHse TO anybody.
Such. at any rate, IS the common talk
OF the place. though the editor might
be able TO give no better excuse than
lack Of enterprise for OnI-ting any men
ton of an affair which. rs I learned
from a barber. made a local sensation
but did not get INTO print. This barber
was himself but little giVen to gossip
ping. On the contrary, he was so back
ward in expressing his opinion. even
when asked for it, that astrauger might
doubt whether be kept himself posted
on the most familiar topics OF the day.
Having been his customer for several
months. 1 learned that he carefully
needed whatever took place under his
notice. II became natural for me to
suppose. therefore, that his memory
was stored with Interesting anecdotes
and scraps Of local history.
4 chance remark dropped one day
led him to recount some incidents IN
Wav which showed that my notion Of his
capacity was not i'll founded. ltwas at
the time raining q dTizziy sIeet that
beat against the windows TO q dismal
strain. There was no customer beside
myself present, and being made to feel
a little uncomfortable by the cheerless-
ness OF the scene. l wanted to say some
thing and [ made d remark ike this:
Your craft has one advantage over
others. You have the genteel part Of
the town under your thanh. -...
"Alarge part Of it, that's a TACT, he
said. without showing that he felt in the
least fatter6d. "And YOU may say,
beside, that many Of Q different kind Of
people are our customers.
His small keen eyes moved quickly
from one object to another. seeming not
to rest except in the intervals when he
was intent on the most particular part
OF his work He seemed to be tTUing
tOreeaIl something which had escaped
his nemorv. Having hit upon the idea
which he had apparently been puzzled
to recall, he said:
Il will give YOU a case to show that
this is true.
IT was already growing dark, one
lowery afternoon, he said, when /
thought Of closing thesshop, not having
had much custom all day. 4 customer
came in. though, before I got ready to
90 home He was a sleeky-appearing
little fellow as ever got into a barber s
chair and asked to be shaved-chubby,
smOoth-faced. with a chin streaked in a
way to put notion Of charcoal in my
mind. 1 did not notice any unmistaka-
bic sign Of down upon the lip, but sup
posing the youth was ambitious to en-
courage the use of such a thing by fre-
quent shaving. was willingtO do what
Tcould to help the matter When my
lob was done and paid for, my custom
er proceeded to smoke a cigar, at the
same time offering me one, which
took and lighted from that Of the polite
stranger.
Before shutting up the place for the
night / wanted to look at my watch,
which. I was surprised to learn, had
been taken from my pocket while was
in the act Of lighting the cigar. felt
satisfied the weed was given to me on
purpose to take up my attention, 50
that pocket picking might be easy.
That sort of experience has taught me
to be careful about taking gifts from
strangers. One act of this person at
tracted my particular notice and that
was the use of a handbill as a cigar
light. Ii was an advertisement of re-
ward for the arrest Of an escaped bur
giar and could not help noticing the
nervous way in which mYcUstOmer tore
down the little poster from the wall and
twisted it into shape for lighting his
cigar from the fire.
''Mv efforts to have the thief over
taken were not successful I did not
get my watch back. but had the salts
faction of hnding out the cause Of the
singular beard. or rather lack of beard
on the rogue's face. The pickpocket
proved to be a woman in pIntalOOns.
and getting shaved was a mere ruse TO
deceive me as well as others who were
on the lookout for her. YOu may think
it strange did not discover her sex. as
Ihave often thought to myself. Twas
nearly dusk when she came in. and
was in something OF hurry to get my
work done without lighting lamps be-
sides it was storning and the wind blew
GaTu, winch may nave helped to cloak
the natural tones of her voice; though
not over ten words passed between us
Ishould say"
He strapped his razor mechanically
in way BARRIERS have. and then ran hi!
thumb thoughtfully along the keen edge
of the highly polished steel. After Civ
ing the razor strap few final strokes
and striking the palm of his hand one,
or twice with its broad blade, he pro