The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-09-25

osCA OsA1 ~
1T was in Tennessee, !" said the trav-
cling man. 1T happened, on one Of
those back country roads which l was
travelling on my way to a town where /
had a fine list of customers. The night
how long it would take me to reach a
place where | could spend the night. I
knew that | was among the moonshin-
ers, for the jug on a stump with the
money under it was in evidence along
the road. | had 10 thought Of being
molested in that country, where the
only warfare is against the revenue
officers, and no one would have suspect
ed me Of completely with the govern
ment.
"A slight noise startled my horse,
and | leaned out Of the buggy to look
into the chamber of a revolver. At the
same time | saw two figures, one on
each side Of me, and. checking my
horse, | tried to assume a bravado I
was far from feeling IS | asked:
"'Well, gentlemen. what is your will
with me?'
"You q imagine my surprise when
a boyish voice asked:
kin You shave yourself?
Il answered that / always shaved
myself. Without lowering his revolver
he looked across me to his pal on the
other side.
He uns will do. Jim. Hop in an
I'll lead the horse.
Having made up my mind not to be
dragged off in any such ignominious
manner | said:
IF you are going to shoot me. /
suppose | must give up my life, as / am
unarmed. If it is money You want, r.
Tell him. jim. said the one who
was leading my horse.
Yer won't be killed nor robbed nor
nothin, if yer don't try ter give us the
slip. Shet your mouth now. mister, an
you'll know more right soon.'
"We.must have gone a mile before
we came to a turn in the road that
brought us out in front Of a cabin much
larger than any ] had seer that day in
my travel. A woman stood at the door
crying.
"'Hev yer four somebody, boys?' she
asked a~nxiously.
Yep, MORN, an he'll do the job up
slick 'thout askin much pay
II wonde q if / was to be compelled
to murder some one. The boys were
beardless mountain loafers-I had met
their type often, but / never knew them
to be desperadoes.
Il was shown into the cabin by the
woman, . of the boys following with
the revolver, while the other waited to
fasten the horse to a scrub oak. l saw a
figure stretched on a settle, and the idea
flashed into my MUD that / was mis-
taken for q doctor.
Il am not a medical man, began
to explain, when the woman cut me
short.
:sYou uns nd a been tew late ef
you uns was q doctor. He passed outen
afore daylight, an it's mother kind Of
job we wanter hev done. Yer see, we
uns is q goin tew hev the biggest fun rel
evan was in these yeah pants, an we
wanter hev the ole man shaved fob the
fust time, an there amt a man no
where aroun as shaves hisself or emmy
body else
1.-The revulsion of feeling which came
over me was not altogether pI%easurable,
for | did not fancy the idea of playing
barber to o dead man. but when I looked
at the cadaverous c~ountenance and
tangled gray beard Of the deceased I felt
q sort Of p. OCCASIONAL pride in making
him look more like a mortal being and
less like a wolf. ! had always been an
abstalner from strong drink, but ] filed
up Oh crude spirits that would have
Killed me on an ordinary occasion and
tackled my silent customer with q fe-
verish and hysterical alacrity. This was
IN part due to the close proximity Of
the two boys and their r~evolvers. But
as soon as | had the old mountaineer
shaved the ravolvers were laid aside and
! was treated with the utmost hospi-
tally. The work itself had not been
half as gruesome as | had imagined,
and | had to fight a lndicrous tempta
ton to pour barber talk into the def
ears. he was such an Improvement ov,
himself when aliye-as I judged by t.
family lingo-that / wanted to ask him
to look in a mirror. | declined the fee
rendered me by the boy Jim, and, sup
piled with a jug of moonshine whisky,
l was set in the right road and per
mitted to leave.
Il found it true that in all that com
munlty mo q man had ever been shaved,
and it was only in Difference to a within
OF the old mountaineer, expressed On
his deathbed, that he was made such 4