The morning news., 1897-08-29
THE RAZOR, MAYS FRIEND.
History of the TonsOriaI Implement.
Steel and Sentiment.

From the New York Press.
Men have their little sancuties. OF
those who shave the razor is the most
precious possession. 1t is more precious
than a wife. have seen men weep for
razor when they would not shed tear for
a woman. I have seen unsentimental bar
bers, to whom a razor is a mere means of
living, refuse $40 and $40 for an old half
ratter," not intrinsically worth 10 cents.
Where this affection comes from is
mystery. 1t seems ridiculous. Yet we
know carpenters who love their saws, and
who would not part with a certain plane
or hammer for its weight in gold. 1t is
superstitous reverence almost that they
feel for the instruments and implements
with which they have earned for years
their meat and bread.
The other day 1 called on a friend. and
found him in the act of shaving One of
his intimates was present, and, being in
the need of shave, took up the razor and
ran 1t over his face. 1t drew forth an eX-
clamation of delight, by jove, Bev., I
wish you'd give this to me. 1t beats any
thing l ever triedr's Quoth Bev.: What
Give that razor away2 My best friend?
My Oldest friend? My truest friend? MY
friend in need? Never. Why man. this
razor shaved my Sreat-grandfather. my
grandfather. my father and me. Give it
away? | wouldn't sell it for bread If |
were starving!" 1t was as syood as when
the old revolutionary general used it in
camp. They don't make such steel nova
days. with all the Dragging about prog
ress"
"A former Philadelphia, now living in
this city, showed to me the other day a
razor he has used for sixteen years. 1t
moe Toft d I, -.
ed Lieutenant general in the confederate
army. This general had carried it through
the Mexican war, and used it until his
death. 1t has had the felicity of shaving
the phizes of Cen. Worth, Gen Doniphan.
Gen. Taylor, Gen. Scott, and Gen. Lane
In the civil war it shaved Gems Van
Dorm, Rosser, Lomax, Bragg and Beau
regard. Could money buy il? Nay.
Neither gold nor precious stones.
The highest civilization is unaccompa-
MED by beard. l have additional hopes
of my country, because the men are more
given TO shaving than at any time since
1915. Honor wrote OF a razor 800 years
before Christ, and the Greeks and Romans
in the very hight of their progress shaved
the entire face. Two hundred and seven
ty years later Confucius was shaving with
"A razor made OF re remarkaby fine steel Ii
had no handle. From the earliest ages
the Chinese and Japanese have shaved
bolu lHe uedu anu lace. Among the Turks
Arabs, Perslans and the Asians of the In
dian empire the razor is just beginning
to feel its way. From ancient days these
people have regarded the beard as a sign
Of strength ana an ornament OF manhood
The removal Of the whskers is TO great
extent looked upon as a severe punish
ment and an extreme degradation
The North American Indian never shay
ed until recent years, yet never wore
beard. He IS naturally almost beardless
and made himself entirely so by pluck
ing out the hairs as they grew.
In PapeeSe, the chief town OF wicked
Tahiti, ! have seen natives shaving with
razors made Of shells and sharks teeth.
very fine edge can be put on this kind
Of cutlery, but l would as lief shave with
a piece Of glass. Excellent work has been
done with glass.
Ramoses II, wore a false beard Through
Moses the Lord warned the sons Of Aaron
Gi00 B. C)-"They shall not make bald
ness upon their head, neither shall they
shave eff the corner OF their beard "
There were razors 20 let Ia the old days.
because In Isaiah we read (vii. 2O: I'm
the same day shall the Lord shave with "A
razor that So hired the head, and the hair
Of the feet and " shall also consume the
beard" TO this day BARRIERS glorlfy their
calling by saying that the Lord shaved.
He used q hired razor. too The Prophet
Ezekiel says ". j.; 'And thou son OF
man. take thee sharp knife. take thee "a
barber's razor. and cause IL to pass upon
thine head ana upon thy beard"
In looking over the the roster OF tho
hrst militia company formed IN this city,
I ind a conspicuous place given 90 tho
barber Even in those days-iWi-the
boys had 20 shave, and the company bar.
ber was "a great man.
Tho hOlloW-Rroun6 razor 3D. not on an.
Client invention. ] well remember when
wade A. Butcher FIRST introduced 81. and
how II took the country ~ a0rm. ns it
were Cuflers and grinders wont through
the land in aWarma Nith fIn horns and
emery wheels, and ovnry man that p0a.
aesfed an old.fashi0ncd nat razor had b
converted into hqlioW-fround n goes
without saying thar vast numhffs ~
epiendid "hHnl-me-1asEnf' were ruined
The temper was taken oul an1 fhfrf were
rnf fffNItra lf hand flr Reforms n