Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-20
IONSORsAL "REMINISCENCES.
Great Men of the Past as Seen nv
Their Barber.

SAM. HOUsTON's NERVOUS OBJECTIONS TO THE
NOISE OF THE sHEARs-HIs HABIT OF SHAVING
HIMSELF-ABRAHAM LINCOLN's FIRST SHAVE
AFTER COMING TO WASHINGTON TO BE
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES MEN WHO
TALKED OYER PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN THE BAR
BER'S CHAIR.
BARBER shops used to be resort for great
men twenty-five and thirty years ago." said
Stewart the veteran barber at Wizards, as he
settled The STAR mans head in place. and
smeared his face over with drift of white
foam. "Close shave. sir? Yes sir. Great men.
They used to come here to have their toilets
made. and while waiting their turns they'd
talk politics. | remember old Sam. Houston of
Texas. tie was aqueer ONE Does that scrape?
No, thought not. I've been shaving long
time He was queer one, Houston was He
always shaved himself, because he was too
nervous to allow any one else to put razor on
his face. but he used to come to
me to have his hair cut. He was a
great big fne-iooking fellow and very eccentric
AND curse. He could curse the edge off a
razor In ordinary conversation. He used to
wear big Mexican sonbrero, a shad-bellied
blue coat, with large brass buttons flaming
red wast-coat, a high stock and buff pants. /
remember the first time he came in here-not
here exactly either, 1 kept down below here
them was cutting his hair. After taking a
sWath clipped my shears together two or three
times, this way, just to try the edges, as bar
bers do, you know. Well, you should have
seen him. He jumped like he had been shot.
and grabbed me tight about the hand. Then
he queted down at once and said. my good
man. never do that again. 1 can't stand it,
Then he sat down and cut his hair very gently.
We didn't have all the modern conveniences
then. We didn't have glasses to our cases.
But he would not sit down to be barbered until
wheeled tho n m of fha 81,
80 that he could see all over the room-Haye
your siders' trimmed; wouldn't they grow q
little better If they came off once or twice? Oh.
excuse me, they are thick enough. Oh, of
course.
eyes, Houston could swear. Lord forgot
one time after he told me, and clipped nv
shears near his ears again. He Jumped clear
across the room, with the oil cloth and sheet
around him. 1t was terrific; the big sheet
thrown over his shoulders, his hair long on one
side and short on the other, and his eyes like
ire! He walked up and down the room and
stormed; he CRASHED his teeth and cursed blue
olazes. But he was mighty nice gentleman
His colleague, Senator Russ. was a fine man
too-Very positive and stern, but not so nervous
Seward, then Senator from New York, used
to be barbered at my hands, and so did Secretary
Cobb and Secretary Floyd. They were all fine
gentlemen, and used to talk all about national
affairs and lots of great things. Gen. Jessups.
of kentucky-he used to live on street then.
u
tary historian, you know, and had an idea that
all men ought to be soldiers. He used to say
when he got into an argument, say. gentlemen.
no man has right to be President of the United
States unless he is soldier. No, sir; no civil
ians!' He used to discuss all the great men of
the times with the other gentlemen who as
sembled in my shop. Sometimes he would get
so interested in discussions that he would walk
out and go all the way down the street without
his hat. He'd forget all about it, and have to
come back. Then there was Prof. Demmetry,
the lingnist Of the State department; he used
to know all about the doings of great men. and
they would talk those things over and over.
This was all along between SO and go. Then
later on there was Lawrence Keitt. of South
Carolina. and Mr.. Preston Brooks, who caned
Senator Sumner; Buchanan, when Secretary of
War, Senator White and Simon Cameron-all
used to come In here and talk Have your
moustache waxed2 There! Powder? was
the first man who shaved Abe Lincoln when he
came here TO be inaugurated. He had a room
In the house here, and went up to shave him
before he went to bed. He was a pleasant
talking man. One thing struck me. remember
when went to his room, and that was that he
had big bottle of whisky and some glasses a.,
q tray. was surprised then, for / did not
know that Presidents drank WHISKY Have
wet or dry? No2 Well, there you are"
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