The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-12-11
THE TH0USANDTH SHAVE.
by JAMES HARVEY SMITH.


al am extremely sorry, Jack, but
"But you don't love mem
''Now, Jack, that's unkind." SS,x
"But it's true"
"No, it isn't true; not one bit of it.
and you know it. Haven't engaged my
self to you in spite of papa's coldness and
mammals positive hatredl"
"Iumgn
Haven't I stood by you in spite OF
everything people said about youlS
GAN lies !" cried Jack, hotly.
81 know it, said Adele, laying low
ing hand on his coat collar. 81 have al
ways said that you did love me, and were
not careless and idle and improvident
and-n
Jack shook off her hand quite rudely.
"And yet when ask you to marry me
you say mo- Do you call that love?"
81 call it common sense, Jack. Why,
you know you haven't anything but your
salary of fifteen hundred year"
"Love in a cottage with a crust, " be-
gan Jack.
"You know" she cried, "you detest
suburban life and like anything better
than crusts. Oh, Jack, do be reason
able Papa is not unreasonable and he
loves me dearly. Mamma will come
around in time and then we can have a
decent wedding"
"That's enough" said Jack, calmly,
taking his hat. "We will not discuss
this matter any further"
"You are not going?" ."
eyes, am. And when you see me
again--" az u,
"Oh, Jackr
"Good morning, Miss Aylesford."
Jack Ashton passed out very haughti-
ly. There is no more exquisite pleasure
than feeling that one has a genuine griev
ance.
1t was ten o'clock and Mr.. Ashton
should have been at his desk in the bank
ing house full hour before, but he was
not troubled with scruples and Kenyon
~ Co. knew his ways. He was very
clever accountant, a man who knew the
market and could ON pinch do the
work of three men.
"A cunning chap" said old Kenyon
to the Co., "and will make his fortune
when he buckles down to it. We will
keep him until he knows his worth"
1t was also September and Jack was
due for weeks vacation, so his absence
did not cause comment.
''There isn't much for fellow like me
to do, !" he said TO himself celebrating
this idea, 'and | suppose I'll have to en-
list as soldier. Still, that wouldn't
do. Precious little soldering and plenty
of wood chopping and road making. If
there was only war"
BY this time he was on the docks and
the shipping diverted the current of his
thoughts. He would be sailor and 90
away never to return. Perhaps when
she read of his perishing in a gale off
Zanzibar or somewhere, or knew that he
had been tossing for days and days in an
open boat with daily ration of a spoon
full of water and an ounce of raw pork
But these things rarely got into the
papers and when they did the record
generally read Captain Jones and four
seamen, and as he would be one of the
seamen, how would she know2
That he would do something desper-
ate he was, however, quite resolved. 1t
was absurd to think that he could 20 on
living.
1t was the Giternoon of the third day.
He had beer to the Park in the morning
and had walked back. There was
strange dizziness in his head, his knees
knocked together more than once, and
twice his eyesight seemed to be leaving
him. lie was hungry; he had not eaten
for nearly three days, but he thought he
was dying.
1t gave him a certain sort of grim
satisfaction lie would not have taken
his own life, but if death would come
without his direct aid. And then
he looked at his reflection in a plate
glass shop window and shuddered
1t would never do to die in such a
plight. His clothes were dusty, his
boots grimy and scuffed, and he had not
been shaved for three days Come he
might as well die like a gentleman. The
boot black fell to work 1T once as he
sank into the chair and Jack was dimly
conscious that the boy was making
good job.
A bye street ran of the thoroughfare
and half way down slender red and
white-striped pole protruded from door.
Jack sauntered. down to the shop and
paused on the sidewalk to make a sur
yey. Reckless as he was, he had no
notion of a tive-cent shave or one at un-
clean hands. The survey was eminently
satisfactory. 1t was very cabin of a
place, so small and snug. Jack thought
that the barber looked like a German
professor-not of music; theology, per
haps, or maybe ethnology or physics.
A well-built, bearded man, with
his hair combed smoothly back from a