The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1891-03-19
n with his Rlitserinx ere.

him with his giittefInI ere.
lyon see, the criminal will not know
that his hour IL at hand. The barber
win b, taken into the jail 10 give him .
shave, and without . fear or tremef,
without a single thought Of death, b
will BE- hurled into another world. Talk
about executing By sasstxicit5. bat NJ
method VIII MT oufy be quicker, bus
more IAiHless."
"Just n stroke like this, and it's al
over" and Rhetts heart gave . wild
leap, for he thought his end had come.
Casey, however, had only drawn the
back Of the razor across his throat, but
with such force and rapidity that g
burned like fire.
The situation was growing desperate.
In q minute the barber would be through
with his work. With one hand he had
Rhett by the hair and with the other
was finishing mp the job, while his lips
kept muttering and his body swayed
with excitement. Rhett knew with the
next sweep Of that Infatuated arm he
would meet his doom. Whatever he did
must be done instantly.
"well, Henry he said, rs lightly as
he could, sharpen up your razor well
before ron start, for don't want any
bunglinR job" For he thought when
the barber turned 10 do this he could
leap from the chair and get away.
ats sharp enough for yOu, Mr..
Rhett,- and the mailman grew madden
a. he spoke; ''it's sharp enough for you,
sir"
He had already finished shaving.
Rhett's heart almost stood still.
Now wei see II IL needs TO be sharp
en-" said Casey with q dernoniac laugh,
and Rhett felt sharp sting rs the keen
blade cut the skin on his throat.
"But, Henry" he rapidly calculated,
81 want yOu to make q success Of this,
for IL win be blessing 10 the world
but II yOu go on now tell you II VIII
be q failure"
The razor stopped.
"whyY' asked Casey.
The maniac was interested. Rhett
saw that he had gained point and he
knew his life depended upon how he
used It. He had touched upon the mans
pet mania. II seemed strange to him
now that he had not thought oft before.
"You will make q 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 l feel the razor
giving me the fatal wound I viii shrek
out In agony, and the people win say
Ar. n ...sru..,.a . so.-st,io io,Eh T7,.w
will not believe you then that IL would
be the most painless mode Of execution
So yOu zee, Henry, you would defeat the
very object Jon are trying to accom-
plish
The barber withdrew the razor and
held IL motiOnless in his hand. Rhett
breathed easier and became eloquent on
the subject Of the experiment.
Now, the next man jon shave,
Henry, don't say Q word to him on the
subject, but all at once, in the twinkling
Of an eye, put him ont. And I believe
you viii become a greater man than the
inventor Of the guillotine."
well, Mr.. Rhett, / believe Jon are
right about it, and he began 10 Close
the razor.
The mania was wearing of, and In It's
stead there came q playful and mischiey-
Gus humor.
PAtting his customer under the chin,
"Ah, Mr.. Rhett," he said, ''you would
look 90 much better without your mus
tache. Now. don't you want me 10 take
it Of for your
Afraid TO cross him in his humor,
Rhrett replied, though 1t almost broke
his heart TO say IL:
"Why, certainly, Henry. II you think
Il win look better"
On went the lather, and In another
minute the beautiful silken strands were
no more than the withered leaves Of the
forest.
''Now, Mr.. Rhett, IL you had your hair
clipped Jon would look splendid. Don't
you want me 10 take il OFF,
''Of course, Henry, clip IL, came from
those anguished lips. BE wa willing 10
say OF do anything to get that razor back
into It's case.
30 the clippers were brought out and
IN Les than two minutes he was slicker
than Q new born rat.
But II his head was light his heart was
TOO, when he aruss from the chair, and
never in al his life did he feel 30 willing
and happy topay for shave and hair cut
OF course everybody laughed ct him
when he went out On the street, and the
wind blew cold about his bead. To his
friends, when they gathered around him,
be told his narrowing experiences, and be
was still a. pale ~ a ghost.
A committee forthwith waited on the |
barber. but they did not End anything
in his words OF actions 10 denote insan-
ity. So some believed the story and
some didn't-and the barber kept on
shaving.
But nsver sgsin did he put his rasor
upon tie face Of John Rhett-w. n.
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