The evening times., 1896-02-18

An Avenue barrier has added three lady
tonsorial artists to his corps of assist
ants. A card in his window indicates that
the women cameSfrom Chicago, ard they
verify the placardcd announcement. Chi
cago always dOesproduce strange things :
that is, strange TO every other city but
herself.
But why shouldn't woman be Il bar
ber? She is much geu,ler than I man and
every whit as quick She ca talk as much
as man barber. aud what more should
one want? She surely has as much right
To amputate the WHISPERS on n mans face
as he has 10 try on her shoes or make her
gown or even shampoo her hair. That
this cDterprisirg barber will find The in
novatiou a profitable one is not TO De
doubted, but time alone Will prove whet her
interest will nIclt away as the novelty van
ishcs.
To he shaved by-ga woman, If she Is a
good barber, Is for all the world like being
shaved by "A man, if he is Iikcw "A good
barber. She makes the lather the same. apr
plies IT almost the same, rubs the face like
a man. except possibly little g,,ntlcr. and
strokes the razor similarly.
The sensation experienced when being
shaved by u fair creature is most APPLY
described by the word pleasing. She whets
her razor like her brother barber. except
that the strokes are shorter and quicker.
The lather is prepared to nicely JnG
when she rubs II over the face she does
not do il with the ordinary rudcncss OF
the male members OF the same profession,
who evidently think that The visagc WAS
made for massage experimental purposes
only.
SHE Is SWIFT.
One OF the chief attributes OF the woman
barber is her swiftness. While a man is
going over one side of the face anf tcllin z
about his latest Investment in a suburban
lot she has rea ached the point where sheasks,
"a dry brush.'' and is almost ready for the
next customer.
She even handles the face with a gentle
ness that ina kes one wish her rapidity was
not SO conspicuous One of the women
shaves the entire side OF the face. in
c,uding the ,nusiachc. before turning. Both
of the others shave the right side, the
chin. and neck, and the left side. and
lastly the upper lip.
The women artists grasp the razor as
their brothers do-that is. with the three
fingers on the back. the little finger at the
other side of the handle and fulcruin and
the thumb on the undcrside of the blade.
A noticeable feature is that they move
on their feet but little while shaving a
How long have You been in the business"
chair.
About two years" answered the fair
razor wieider, the senior member of the
trio. by the way. "One of the girls has
been at work almost as long. The other
has been at 1t eight months. l learned
my trade OF q man barber, and / try 10
follow his teaching as far as possible.
"If young woman wants to earn an hon
est living. and is at all adapted 10 barber
ing 1 would advise her to take it up. We
ge; 81 apiece a week and 20 per cent over
sac That isn't bad, is ii: ! think not.
The work is not hard. We are employed in
union shops. belong to the union, OF course,
and work from 9 TO O'Clock. The even
ings are our own. and there must necessarily
be many hours in the DAY that we haNehttie
or nothing to do.
HER CUSTOMERS ARE POLITE.
mo, we are never troubled by insulting
o. rude remarks from men, unless they are
| drunk. Then thesFroprietor of the shop can
| take care of thenE Most men are very gen
| tlemanly."
Ibid you know that there is no place 10
read q mans character so readily as in
| the BARRIERS chair? II he is pccvish and
| fret.uI there, he is invariably the same way
at home. If he places himself gently in the
chair. and docsn'tgrowl like Il bear when the
razor pulls Il little or the water is hot hi
| will be lust rs kind at home when his wife
males a wee mistake in the biscuits. 1t
| seems that int oxicated men always ma kc Il
| break for a barber shop. and If they don't
| talk lun-cr and louder than any barber you
| ever met their bncath is offensive enough to
carry the razor AWAY from their face"
s.Do YOU dress ladies hair"
YES If we / ave to, but none of us like
| the Job. ! believe woman. too, who has
| to go into barber shop would rather have
n man dress her hair"
DO the men ever complain of your talk
| ing too nuch?"
mo, because We never talk, except
when we are questioned"
This statement was verified on the SPOT,
| for the other two women were both busy,
| but each seemed TO have HOn-cOnimunica-
| tive patrons. and no word was heard to
| pass their lips.
I'VE read the papers and try to keep
pOsted on current events. That is really
necessary. You will find it a iulc though
| that BARRIERS who are prOycrbial takers
are well informed on the topics of the day.
| But they should be If they can read the
| PAPERS at all. as the papers are the greatest
| educators we have In these umes.'
no you believe in tie emancipation OF
woman"
HER OPINION OF SUFFRAGE.
ayes, In so far as ii permits her o MA kean
honest living Is she sees fit. don't wanttO
vote, II that is what you mean. but think
| every woman ought to have the consiitu-