Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-01-24
THE THOUSANDTH SHAVE.

THE THOUSANDTH SHAVE.
81 am extremely sorry, Jack, butt
"But you don't love mel"
"Now, Jack. that's unkind."
"But it's true"
"No, it isn't true; not bit of it, and you
know it. Haven't engaged myself to you
in spite of papa's GOODNESS and mammals posi-
tive hatreds"
"Humr'
Haven't stood by you in spite of every
thing people said about yous"
"All liesl" cried Jack, holly.
81 know it," said Adele, laying loving
hand on his coat collar II have always said
that you did love me, and were not careless
and idle and improvident and"-
Jack shook off her hand quite rudely.
"And yet when ask you to marry me you
say NO. Do you call that love2'
81 call it common sense, Jack. Why, you
know you haven't anything but your salary
of 81, 500 year."
Glove in cottage with g. crust" began
Jack
"You know" she cried, ''you detest subur-
ban life and like champagne better than
crusts. Oh, Jack, do be reasonablel Papa is
not unreasonable, and he loves me dearly.
Mamma will come around in time and then
we can have decent wedding"
THAT'S enough" said Jack, calmly, taking
his hat. 1--WE will not discuss this matter any
further"
"You are not goings"
"Yes, 1 am. And when you see me
again.
'Oh, Jackl"
"Good morning, Miss Aylesford"
Jack Ashton passed out very haughtily.
There is no more exquisite pleasure that feel
ing that one has genuine grievance
1t was 10 o'clock and Mr.. Ashton should
have been at his desk in the banking house
full hour before, but he was not troubled with
scruples, and Kenyon & Co. knew his ways
He was very clever accountant, man who
knew the market and could on a pinch do the
work of three men.
ga cunning chap" said old Kenyon to the
Co., land 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 a 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,
land I suppose I'll have to enlist as a soldier.
Still, that wouldn't do. Precious little sol
diering and plenty of wood chopping and
road making. If there was only war;"
By this time he was on the docks, and the
shipping Invested the current of his thoughts.
He would be sailor and go away, never to
return. Perhaps when she read of his perish
ing 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 spoonful of water and an ounce of raw
pork
But these things rarely got into the papers,
and when they did they generally read,
Capt. Jones and four seamen," and as he
would be one of the seamen, how would she
knows
That he would do something desperate he
was, however, quite resolved. 1t was absurd
to think that he could go on living.
1t was the afternoon of the third day. He
had been 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. He was hungry; he had not
eaten for nearly three days, but he thought
he was dying.
1t gave him certain sort of grim satisfac-
ton. He would not have taken his own life,
but if death would come without his direct
aid -. And then he looked at his refec-
UlOu Ill d pldGe glass SuOp WILLOW duu Suuu-
dered.
It 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. Comet he might as well die like a
gentleman. The bootblack fell to work at
once as he sank into the chair, and Jack was
dimly conscious that the boy was making
good job.
A by street ran off 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 survey Reckless as
he was, he had no notion of a fve-cent shave
or one at unclean hands. The survey was
eminently satisfactory It was very cabin
of place, SO small and SO snug. Jack thought
that the barber looked like German pro-
fessor-not of music; theology, perhaps, or
may be ethnology or physics. well built,
brown bearded man. with his hair combed
smoothly back from a high forehead, and
eyes of limpid blue, calm and reflective.
"Shave? Yes sir" said the barber, in a
voice quite in keeping with his looks.
ga pleasant day." said Jack drearily, as
the barber lathered him deftly.
Exceedingly pleasant" said the barber.
"The weather is one of the few things we can
enjoy without price,"
The idea struck Jack as original, and he
smiled for the first time in three days.
SIN this world" pursued the barber,
"where man has but one life, and that of
humble origin, he has to fight for what
others more favored can have for asking"
"a socialist" said Jack to himself, with
the natural contempt of bank clerk.
Therefore" continued the barber. begin
ming on Jacks chin, sit is fortunate that this
life is but one of a cycle; that the Karnla Of
today is but preparation for another life;
or perhaps Niryana, who knowsl"
"By heavensi Buddhist" exclaimed Jack
to himself.
The barber turned his limpid eyes full upon
him. "Not exactly" he said gravely, II am
| theosophist."
Jack gave little start and then cry of
pain.
81 have cut you, or rather" said the barber
! apologetically, "you have cut yourself. 1t is
| nothing-a mere scratch. No, sir, theosophy
| I conceive to be a civilized Buddhism, with
none of its faults and all of its virtues. You
understand the doctrines of Buddha2 Ignor-
ance, according to Buddha, is the cause Of
our existence; our existence is hopelessly
miserable-misery is its very essence. To be
sure, there is another life, life upon life, but
| who can regulate the successona"
"Who indaed?" said Jack, closing his eyes,
He was getting weary.
! "Our future condition is determined by the
blind and unconscious concentration of cause
| and effect. At the reincarnation man
| may become either god or the vilest i'm
aginable object. That canary in the Gags
may haze once be aybarite, triaer."
Jack opened his eyes in amused coptempla.
zion. "Do you really believe such pnbbtsHf
he asked, with snils on his faes.
Certainly" replied the barber gravely,
81 have already Travelled part of the way to
Nirvana. | have twice achieved Dhyana,
during which saw my past stages of exist
ence. | was Carthagenian general once,
and ages ago was tiger. have prepared