Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-04-03

l. Ttlenry, Salu the young man, anu
he smiled, though bis heart was beating
fast, "you shouldn't try to frighten a
good customer that way You know
you wouldn't kill an old friend like
me-"
"I'll show you, Mr.. Rhett." half
shrieked the barber, and the cleaning
eye grew fiercer and the voice tremblsd
with passion.
Rhett saw that this had only added
fuel to the fame. and he began to de-
spair of conciliatiug the madman.
"Ye. said Carey, and his wild hand
grew wilder and the razor pressed harder
upon tho victims face "yes, you must
die this very hour for the sake Of science.
Why, it will bc noble death. You
ought to feel honored to perish in such
a cause. 7 M
The young man was now thoroughly
frightened, and he watched for an op-T
portunity to spring from the chair aud
escape But he looked in vain, Though
the barber occasionally relaxed the stern
grip upon his throat. yet he still held
him with his glittering eye.
"You see, the criminal will not know
his hour is at hand. The barber will
DO taken into the Jail to give him o
shave, and without fear or tremor.
without a single thought of death, be
will be hurled into another world. Talk
about executing by electricity, but my
method will not only be quicker, but
will be more painless"
"Just stroke like this, and it's all
over" and Rhett's heart gave a wild
leap for be thought his end had come.
Carey, however, had only drawn the
back of the razor across his throat, but
with such force and rapidity that it
burned like fire
The situation was growing more des-
pcrate In minute the barber would
be through with his work With one
hand he had Rhett by the hair and with
the other was finishing up tho 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
we'll before you start, for don't want
any bungling job" For he thought
when the barber turned to this he could
leap from the chair and get away.
''It's sharp enough for you, Mr..
Rhett," and the madman grew madder
as he spoke "It's sharp enough for
you, sir.
He had already finished shaving
Rhett's heart stood still.
"Now we'll see if it needs to be sharp
eer," said Carey, with demoniac laugh,
and Rhett felt sharp sting as the keen
blade cut tho skin of his throat.
"But, Henry ho rapidly ejaculated,
II want you to make success of this,
for it will be blessing to the world,
but if you go on now | toll you 1t will
be failure"
The razor stopped.
"Why I" asked Carey
The maniac was interested. Rhett
saw that he had gained point and he
knew his life depended upon how be
used 1t. He had touched upon the
man's pet mania. 1t seemed strange to
him now that he had not thought of
that before.
"You will make failure no contin-
ued, "becausc you have told me all about
it and | have already suffered as much
suspense as tho criminal on the gallows.
Besides, when l feel tho razor giving
me the fatal wound will shrek out in
agony, and the people will say | suffered
terrible death They will not believe
you that it would be the most painless
mode Of execution. So you see, Henry.
you would defeat the very object You
are trying to accomplish
The barber withdrew the razor and
held it motionless in his hand. Rhott
breathod easier and became eloquent on
the subject Of the experiment.
"Now, the next IN an you shave, Hen
ry, don't say word to him on the sub
ject, but all at once, in the twinkling of
an eye, put him out. And believe you
will become greater man than the in
ventor of the guillotine.
"Well, Mr.. Rhett, | believe you are
right about it, and he began to close
the razor.
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 of for your
Afraid to cross him in his humor,
Rhett replied, though il almost broke
his heart TO say it:
why, certainly, Henry, if you think
il will look better.
On went the lather, and in another
minute the beautiful silken strands
we're no more than the withered leaves
Of the forest.
"Now. Mr.. Rhctt, il you had your
hair clipped you would look splendid.
Don't you want me TO take il OFF,"
"Of course, Henry, clip it," came
from those aneuished lips He was will
ling to say or do anything to get that
razor back into its case
SO the clippers we're brought out an
in less than two minutes he was slicker
than a new born rat.
But il bis 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 bis
friends, when they gathered around
him, he told bis narrowing experience
and he was still as pale as ghost.
A committee forthwith waited on the
barber, but they did not fiud anything
10 his words or actions to denote insan-
ity. SO some believed the story and
some did not--and the barber kept or
shaving.
Blu. never again did he put his razo
,,xo,, ,ho faoa of Tohn RhaIt