The Opelousas courier., 1890-01-18

Therefore, " continued the barber, be-
ginning on Jacks chin, sit is fortunate
that this life is but one of a cycle: that
the karma of to-day is but a preparation
for another life; or perhaps Nirvana, who
knoWs!"
"By Heavens! a Buddhist exclaimed
Jack, to himself. ,
The barber turned his limpid eyes full
upon him. "Not exactly" he said,
gravely. clam a Theosophist."
Jack gave a little start and then a cry
of pain.
II have cut you, or, rather" said the
barber, apologetically, "you have cut
yourself. 1t is nothing mere scratch.
No, sir, theosophy, 1 conceive to be a
civilized Buddhism, with none of its
faults and all OF its virtues. You under
stand the doctrines of Buddha? Ignor-
ance, according to Buddha, is the u
of our existence; our existence is hope
lessly miserable, misery is its very es-
sence. To be sure there Is another life,
life upon life, but who can regulate the
successionY"
"Who, indeeda" said Jack, closing his
eyes. He was getting weary.
ssOur future condition is determined
by the blind and unconscious concatena-
ton of cause and effect. At the reincar-
nation a man may become either a god or
the vilest imaginable object. That
canary in the cage may have once been a
sybarite, a trifer." d.
Jack opened his eyes in amused con-
temptation. "Do you really believe such
rubbish9" he asked, with a smile on his
face.
Certainly, replied the barber, gravely.
III have already travelled part of the way
to Nirvana. Ihave twice achieved Dhyana,
during which / saw my past stages of ex-
istenee. I was a Cathagenian General
once, and ages ago / was a tiger. I have
prepared myself for Nirvana by con,
temptation and thought. | have banished
desire, love, hate, all the human passions.
I am a negation with no attachment for
existence"
"Yet you exists" ventured Jack, feel
ing that he must say something.
81 have disposed of my business, "
said the barber, quietly. II have sold
everything, except the bird; | shall give
him his liberty before I go. You are the
last man I shall shave"
"Ah, indeed" said Jack, making an
effort to rise.
The barber gently but powerfully re-
strained him.
pardon me- have use for you," he
said, 'syou are necessary for my entrance
to Nirvana."
az had a fancy" pursued the barber,
running his thumb along the edge of the
razor and smiling gravely, ''to round out
some perfect number and leave to it the
determination of the sacrifice to Buddha.
nv inspiration, / hit upon a perfectly just
and equitable plan. The third of last
July was my birthday, and from that day
I began to keep count of the number Of
shaves. I set apart the number of one
thousand and marked the thousandth fol
sacrifice. You have the luck to be the
thousandth shave, SIR"
"But," said Jack, and his tongue
seemed to thicken in his mouth.
ooh, there can be no mistake" said
tho barber, cheerfully. "That would
not have done at all. See now, it is thu
fourth of September-nine weeks to
day. The count, by weeks, runs as fol
lows: 102, 90, 10 "a bad week, sir, 109
lao, 121, 142, 101, ia. I had a yer,
good run of custom yesterday or l shoult
not have been able to make up the mum
Der. Justnine weeks-I regard that a
significant"
Was it Jack Ashton who only a fey
hours before had been contemplating
death with stocial ~resignationa Here
was nova quick, almost painless death
What made his head buzz SO and th
canary's pipe seem like a clarion trum
pet2
A chill like ice passed down his spin
and then a hot flush like a fever. ai
voice was steady as a parsons as he said
There is only one drawback to you
plan. You have made a mistake in you
calculations-this is not the thousandt
shavei".
For the first time the BARRIERS eye
showed q CLEAN of anger.
"Impossible!" he said, sharply. 9
have gone oveEasthe sum too often t
make a mistake, although j am not a
expert at figures"
81 ann, y said Jack, calmly. 81 am
bank clerk and never make q mistake.
tell you, your count is wrong-it is min
hundred and ninety-nine. What d
you still doubt met Give me a piece {
paper and I will convince you in q mir
ute.m
tsIt is very strange muttered the bal
Der, as he laid down the razor. an
opened a drawer in search of a piece {
paper.
The cloth that the barber had tucke
under his chin was of cotton but it al
swered Jacks purpose. With a boun
he wa out of the chair and had fun
the cloth over the BARRIERS head. The
with all the strength of fear, horror an
rage he struck with his fist the mufie
figure, and it fell against the cup rae
with q great crash.
His knees gave way as he dashe
across the street, but his voice ha
strength TO cry Help! Murder!" befol
he fell upon the pavement.
Quickly o crowd collected.
aSave nae-a madmani" he gasped.
A policeman elbowed his way through
Jack pointed feebly and shudderingl
across the way, where the barber stoo
calmly by his chair.
The policeman shock his head doub'
inglya as he crossed the threshold to inye,
tigate.
tive been told,' said he, with