The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1894-10-06


twice achieved Dhyana, during which
saw my past stages of existence. !
was CNrthagenian general once, aud
ages ago was a tiger. / have ban,
ished desire, love. hate, all the hu.
man passions. am q negation, with
no attachment for existence"
yet you EXIST" ventured jack,
feeling that he must say something.
81 have disposed of my business. "
said the barber. quietly. 81 have
sold everything except the bird; I
shall give him his liberty before GO
You are the last man / shall shave"
"Ah, indeed?" said Jack, making an
effort to rise.
pardon mel have use for you, ''
the barber said; "you are necessary for
my entrance to Nirvana. 1 had .
fancy" pursued the barber, running
his thumb along the edge Of the razor
and smiling, ito shave certain num-
Der and leave toit the determinatio
of the sacrifice to Buddah. BY inspira-
ton i hit upon perfectly just and
equitable plan. The third of last
July was my birthday, and from that
day began to keep account of the
number of shaves. / set apart the
number of one thousand and marked
the thousandth for sacrifice. You
have the luck of being the thousandth
shave, sir"
But" said Jack, and his tongue
seemed to thicken in his mouth.
'Oh. there seems no mistake"
said the barber, cheerfully. THAT
would not have done at all.
See, now, it is the fourth
Of September = nine weeks to-
day. Just nine weeks-I regard that
as significant"
Was 1t Jack Ashton who only fe W
hours before had been contemplating
death with stoical resignation? Here
1t was nova quick almost painless
death. What made his head buzz SO
and the canary's pipe seem like clar-
ion trumpet?
"There is only one drawback to
your plan. You have made mistake
in your calculations. This is not the
one thousandth shave"
For the first time the BARRIERS face
showed a CLEAN of anger.
''Impossiblew he said sharply. 'I
have gone over the sum too often to
make mistake, although am not an
expert ut figures"
4 am," said Jack, calmly, II am a
bank clerk and never made mistake.
l tell you your count is wrong-it is
nine hundred and ninety nine. What!
do you still doubt me? Give me a
piece of paper and will convince you
in a minute"
1T is very strange" muttered the
barber, as he laid down the razor and
opened drawer in search of a blank
piece of paper. The cloth that the
barber had tucked under his chin was
of cotton, but it answered Jacks pur-
pose. With bound he was out of tho
chair and had flung the cloth over the
BARRIERS head. Then, with oil the
strength of fear, horror and rage, he
struck with his fist the muffied figure
and it fell against the cup rack with
a great crash. His knees gave way as
he dashed across the street, but his
voice had strength to cry, Help!
Murder" before he fell upon the
pavement
Quickly crowd collected
"Save me-a madman!" he gasped.
A policeman elbowed his way
through. Jack pointed feebly and
shudderingly across the way, where
the barber stood calmly by his chair.
The policeman shook his head doubt
ingly, as he crossed the threshold to
investigate.
''Ive been told" said he, with q
smile.
Then the smile died upon his lips.
"The thousandth shavew cried the
barber as he sprang at him with an
open razor.
The policeman had just time to
strike up the arm with one blow and
the next he brought down with killing
force on the maniac's head.
adele"
"Jack! Oh, Irkncw you'd come
back. And, oh, Jack, / don't know
why, but think papa is more in
clined to like you, and heard mother
say that"
mo matter now, Adele. Tell me
you forgive me?"
Forgive you, Jack? Why what
makes you look SO pale? Have you
been ill?"
'I've been nearly dead" said Jack.
And then he told her all.