Dodge City times., 1891-04-03

other was finishing up the Job. while
his lips kept muttering and his body
swayed with excitement. Rhett knew
with the next sweep of that infuriated
arm he would meet his doom. What
ever he did must be done instantly.
well, Henry" he said, as lightly as
he could. sharpen up your razor well
before you start, for l don't want any
bungling job" For he thought when
the barber turned to do this he could
leap from the chair and get away.
.It's sharp enough for you, Mr..
Rhett," and the mailman grew madder
as he spoke, Its sharp enough for you.
sir
He had already finished shaving.
Rhett's heart almost stood still.
snow we'll see if it needs to be
sharper said Casey. with a demoniac
laugh, and Rhett felt sharp sting as
the keen blade cut the skin on his
throat
But. Henry he rapidly ejaculatcd.
81 want you to make success OF this
for it will be blessing to the world
but if you go on now l tell you it will
bc failure"
The razor stopped.
"Why?" asked Casey.
The maniac was interested. Rhett
saw that he had gained a point and he
knew his life depended upon how he
used it. He had touched upon the
mans pet mania. 1t seemed strange
to him now that he had not thought of
il before.
..You will make failure, he con-
tinued. .'because you have told me all
about il, and have already suffered as
much suspense as the criminal on the
gallows Besides, when feel the razor
giving me the fatal wound I will shrek
out in agony, and the people will say
that | suffered terrible death. They
will not believe you then that it would
be the most painless mode ofexecution.
ST. you see, Henry, you will defeat the
very object you are trying to accomp-
lish.''
The barber withdrew the razor and
held it motionless in his hand. Rhett
breathed easier and became eloquent
on the subject of the experiment.
Henry, don't say word to him on the
subject, but all at once, in the twinkling
of an eye. put him out. And ! believe
you will become a greater man than the
inventor of the guillotine.
well. Mr.. Rhctt, believe You arc
right about it," and he began to close
the razor.
The mania was wearing off. and in
its stead there came a playful and
mischievous humor.
Patting his customer under the chin,
''Ah. Mr.. Rhett, he said, you would
look SO much better without your mus
tache. Now, don't you want me to
take it off for you?"
Afraid to cross him in his humor,
Rhett replied, though it almost broke
his heart to say it:
''Why, certainly. Henry, if you think
it will look better"
On went the lather and in another min
ute the beautiful silken strands were no
more than the withercd leaves of the
forest.
Now, Mr.. Rhett, if you had your
hair clipped you would Look splendid.
Don't you want me to take it off,"
''Of course, Henry, clip it." came
from those anguished lips. He was
willing to say or do any thing to get
that razor back into its case.
So the clippers were brought out, and
in less than two minutes he was slicker
than a newborn rat.
But if his head was light his heart
was too, when he arose from the chair,
and never in all his life did he feel so
willing and happy to pay for shave
and hair cut.
OF course everybody laughed at him
when he went out on the street, and
the wind blew cold about his head.
To his friends, when they gathered
around him, he told his narrowing ex-
periencc, and he was still as pale as .
ghost.
A committee forthwith waited on the
barber, but they did not find any thing
in his words or actions to denote insan-
ity. So some believed the story and
some didn't-and the barber kept on
shaving.
But never again did he put his razor
npon the face of John Rhett-W. NJ.
Ho bby, in Atlanta Constitution.