Smyrna times., 1882-03-01

make much difference. Then he took to
drink, but that only made it worse. So
In despair Tom kept on giving close
shaves, and sometimes without dreaming
OF 1t his customers would have a pretty
close shave of escapin' from gettin their
jugular veins slit in one of Tom Venner's
thrOat-cuttin' moods.
Tom. when he went to the uptown
shop. hadn't left his address downtown at
all. so the long-necked man. who missed
him very much, didn't know where to
ma hIm. But, as luck would have it. one
cold, dismal, afternoon after New Years,
III stumbled the lOng-necked man into the
uptown shop, and at once ioyfully re-
cog4i2ed Tom.
Tom was struck all of heap at this un-
expected meetin', and, feelin' the throat
rnttm' tit very strong on him at the very
sight OF the long-necked man, tried to
make up some excuse 10 leave the shop
for drink. But the long-necked man
wouldn't stand Toms leavin' Just then
the boss wouldn't stand it either. So Tom
had to stay, lather the long-necked man,
sharpened the razor, and prepare to scrape
that long and temptin' throat
Tom did what he could to resist his now
almost ungOvernable impulse. When the
throat-cuttin' idea got hold of him too
wildly, and the long, lean, lank neck
began to look too temptin'ly, he shut his
eyes and shaved on blindfold. But the
f only result of that was to cash the long
necked mans throat slightly, and to make
him swear and stare for moment or two
till Tom paciiied him. Finally Tom felt
the murderous fit seizin' him worse than
ever. He couldn't resist it any more, he
! thought. His razor had Just been sharp
. ened for second time; its edge was
= splendidly keen; the lean, lank mans
T head was bent down on the BARRIERS chair,
and his neck stretched out beautifully.
Z There was one spot on the neck where a
: cut across with fine razor would wind
c up the business eflectually; and, takin'
the razor firmly in hand, Tom Vcnner
+ drew it across that particular point
gently at first, and then pressin down
: upon it. lie was just about to slash the
: razor across his victims wind pipe, when
All Of a sudden down went the razor
: from Toms hand, and down went Tom
! Venner on his knees upon the floor. be-
, side his wOuld-be victim on the chair.
+ Imagine the surprise of the long g-necked
. man, and the other two BARRIERS, and the
boss barber, and the boot-black boy.
!, But Tom didn't care for their surprise
he was devoutly thankin' heaven that he
p had strength of mind enough just then to
. throw away his razor ANA to throw him
self on his knees.
:, What the devils the matter with
. you?" roared the long-necked man from
= the chair, sittin' up, all lathered but only
half shaved, with the barber's apron still
around him.
= Tom made clear breast of the matter
!. now, and told the long-necked man how
:, he had come mighty near cuttin his
: throat
: Up started the long-necked man in
= horror, and rushed from his chair into a
b corner of the shop, as if Tom was really
!. hackin' at his throat. Spite of the situa-
!. ton, the BARRIERS, all but Tom, and the
boy couldn't help smillin' when they saw
" the lean, long, lank man, hail. .haved with
the lather on his cheeks, rushin' from
:, Tom, his eyes almost startin' out of his
head, and coverin' up his throat with the
. barber's apron, as if to protect his jugulal
. vein as much as possible.
But he calmed down after awhile, espe.
cially as Tom Venner had no razor But
! he wouldn't let anybody finish his shave
- He had had enough razors, he said, fol
= the rest of his life-in other mems hands
=, at least. So he put on his coat and hat
and rushed out of the shop with one side
of him pretty well shaved and the other
:. side Of him pretty hairy, but not mindin
his queer appearance one bit, only every
" now and then feelin' his neck to see if il
was still there, and had not been cut into
~ ~ or off yet.
= AS for Tom Venner, he went straight tc
> a doctor he knew, and told the doctor
what had happened to him, and asked the
y doctor what he should do.
n' The doctor had made study of ner
u vOus diseases, and told Tom he wasn'
le mad yet, but that he would go mad OF
~ the subject of cuttin' somebody's throat i
* he didn't give up the barber business a
once.
= Tom told the physician he had a family
J" and no way to support 'em but by
A. Shawn.
10 "All right" said the doctor, "bu
ie Shawn in your case means hangin', anC
~ you can't support your family if your,
W hung for murder. You must take you
choice between not bein' barber or bein
a murderer"
~ 1T was hard lines, and Hobson's choice
y. but there was no help for it. So Ton
~ Venner never handled u razor again il
y the way of business, and kind of went t,
Il the dogs, as have said.
% But it is better to go to the dogs than t,
9 go to the gallows.-N. Y Mercury,
y, ONE EXPERIENCE FROM MANY hat
lu been sick and miserable so long, and haC
Ill caused my husband so. much trouble anC
he expense, no one seemed to know wha
allied me, that l was completely dis
.o hearted and discouraged In this fram
~ of mind got bottle of Hop Bitters ant
us used them unknown to my family. 500