Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-12-15
A CHAPTER ON LIES.
Valrable Lessons to 20 r,oarnod
from Othor Lives.
How Barber Lost Job, Pretty Woman
Good Huoband and q Politician
his Seat In Congress-A Vicious
Liae'a Fntc.
lspecia, Washington Lctscr.1

Especial Washington LcttcrI
~ have not told lie for more than
twenty years." said the oldest colored
barber in a leading hotel here this
morning. ~ have not told q lie during
40 many years and never will tell u lie
again. found out upon one occasion
that Il does not pay to depart from the
truth, and the lesson was one Of the
practical kind which man cannot for
get.
~ WIS % candidate for the position of
foreman Of the senate barber shop. q
place which pays si.4OO u year, and
position in which good man can pick
Up $500 or more every year In tho way
Of tips from the senators. Vice Prcsi.
dent Henry Wilson was stopping ut
this hotel and he always camc to nc to
have his hair cut and dressed, and oc.
casionnlly To- shave him; but he usually
rhnved himself and honed the razors
for him.
1.-The vice president came to inc one
morning with two ra2ors and said that
he wanted them honed by half.past
two o'clock that afternoon, rs he ex.
pected to leave town on the three
o'clock train. I took the ra2ors and
laid them on my stand, promising to
have them ready promptly on time. II
happened that all Of my morning was
taken up that day by ia unusual rush
= business, 30 that twelve o'clock
samc and tho razors were still un.
touched. called another barber named
Campbell. and told him to hone those
razors very lightly and hand thcr, back
TO me Us soon us he could. Campbell
took the ra2ors, but disrcgardcd my in
structions ind honcd them in his own
way. lie handed them to INC Just
about half past two o'clock as my dis.
ttnguishcd customer came into the
shop. and handed them to the vice
president, who gave me . dollar bill,
and thanked me for my promptness In
preparing the raxors for him.
"About two weeks later che vice
president came TO me with those enzors
and said that he wanted me to hone
tAsm myself and not give them to any
ether barber as had done ON the pre-.
vious occasion. Then { told . lie. I
told him that had honcd those raxors
myself. He said: Henry, do not lie ia
me. knew Is soon rs ! used those
raxors that you had not honed the m,
nnd Il IL useless to lie to me about II.
II never pays to lie, Henry. II never
pays to lie.'
~ suppose the vice president must
have seen some change In my counter
ance which confirmed his opinion, for
hc never came near me afterwards not
allowed mo to do anything for him.
am satisfied that II had told the truth
that day and informed him that had
been too busy TO hone the rnzors my
self. he would have appreciated the
situation and remained my friend. Blu,
hc WIS smart and keen man who knew
that ! was lying to him, and he would
not trust me again. II ! had told the
tsuth would have secured the position
. the senate barber shop and wouli
have been comparatively rich mn,
to-day instead Of working ns nm fo
another man on percentage. Tho pro
prictor gets half Of all I earn, solcl,
because he Is able TO own the shop ant
nm . poor journcyman barber.
lost tho opportunity Of my life by toll
Ing deliberate lie."