Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1884-11-20
BARRIERS in Germany.

"Thc first time ever got shaved il
Germany said barber, YESTERDAY
afternoon, al thought | should die. /
beat nything | ever experienced be
fore. The BARRIERS over there are pretty
smart looking fellows, but they don
know the first thing about tthe profession
as we understand it in this country
The better class of people, as rule, dc
not go to the barber TO get shaved
the barber goes to them. If you take
up your residence in n German town
one of your first callers will be bar
ber soliciting your custom. He will
undertake to shave you three times q
week for about 81 per month, foul
times for about Sl.50, and daily fol
about $3.50. He will call on you Oh
shaving mornings just as you get out
Of bed, and you can make yourself as
comfortable as possible in n straight.
back chair, and have your neck broken
in any manner that suits your taste
best.
THE barber carries his implements
Of torture in a little morocco case,
something like a corn Doctors. In lit.
tie patent-leather roll he carries his
apron. When he enters the room he
dances around like a daddy long-legs
on a hot griddle, and lays his traps
wide open on the wash-stand or table.
He mixes bis lathcr with his finger, and
when you have screwed yourself up in
the chair he looks at you steadily fol-
moment to see if your nerves are all
right, and then he daubs you. He never
uses lather brush. No, he scarcely
knows what lather brush is. He
smears suds over your face with his
fingers, and doesn't seem to be par
ticular whether he let's you taste It or
not.
after he has smoared you with suds
he comes at you with the razor. Then
he commences. There is no rest for
your head, but he doesn't mind that.
He puts his strong, cold, clammy left
hand on your forehead and bends your
neck back as though 1t were construct.
ed on the universal joint system. If you
will sit in a straight-back chair and
throw your head back, keeping it in
that position for about two minutes,
you will be able to form a moderate
idea of the torture the barber in Ger.
many subjects one to. But it will be
only n moderate idea, for he isn't
there to pull your head down lower
than nature ever intended it should 60
whenever you show the slightest In.
clination to straighten it up. The pain
across the back of your poor neck be.
comes eScruciating at once, but YOU
soon lose sight of 1t. The moment he
begins to skin your jaw against the
grain, you forget all about the back OF
your neck. He fourishes the razor
above your head for moment, make.
afeint or two. so as TO inspire you with
terror, and then swoops down on YOU
suddenly and sends you off into spasms,
Spasms are nothing to the German bar.
ber. He pays no attention to the con.
tortions OF your face nor the writhinp
of your body, but aourishes his rqzol
once more, and as he hacks the short
hair on the tender part Of your chin
you drop gently into a convulsion,
from which you recover only to sec
him packing up his tools preparatory
to flight. Then as you straighten uT
in the chair, bewildored as one who
has just awakened from a horrible
nightmare, he smiles, thanks you, bids
you good morning, and is gone, "--&
Louis Gto9e. Pen4ocrat.