The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-02-03

A CLOSE SHAVE.
oily, than that. The western senator,
however, never pays more than Is cents
for shave. His skin is very thin and
his beard is very tough, and unless am
very careful am liable to draw blood
on him. If single drop of blood ap-
pears and he discovers it, then there is
terrific row, for he is very eccentric
sort of person. He sent for me to
come to his room last Sunday morning
and give him shave there, and I did
SO. He sat in rocking chair and
leaned very far back while was shay
ing. I guess he must have fallen asleep,
because he had a sort of convulsive
twitch and pushed his feet out against
the mantel piece so that he fell over
backward and struck his head upon the
floor of the room. dropped my razor
instantly and grabbed him as he was
falling, so that l saved him from the
full force of the fall and think that
maybe saved his life or saved him from
serious injury. At any rate, after I
had finished shaving him, expected
some sort of reward, BUT got my reg
ular IS cents and nothing else. If he
were like other men who are shaved as
regular customers I would not mind
this matter of receiving no tip at all,
but he requires unusual attention and
extraordinary care. He insists upon
having five hot towels applied to his
face and five cold towels afterward
The towel washing alone costs at least
half the price of the shave, and I give
him at least twice as much as I have
give to other customers who come here.
Of course his position is such as to COM
mand consideration on the part of the
barber, and l am glad to be able to say
theless. feel that / am losing money
whenever give him my time and skill
and attention.
''One of the most delightful men
ever had in BARRIERS chair is Congress
man Joe Cannon, of Illinois. He only
SLAVES his upper lip, and it would be a
comparatively easy job but for the fact
that he is one of those red-haired, red
skinned people, who have very stiff
bristling beard, and it is very difficult to
take care of him without making any
bad breaks. Moreover, he shaves his
upper lip clear up to the nose, and it is
difficult to give him exactly the kind of
a shave he wants without cutting his
nose. He is very liberal man and al
ways pay more that the work is worth.
SO that have great deal of pleasure in
taking pains with him. Moreover, he is
always in good humor and tells stories
to the barber just as freely as though he
was talking to other congressman, SEN
ators, or, suppose. would talk to the
president himself.
II always like to shave Senator Quay,
of Pennsylvania. He is another man
who pays for more than the service is
actually worth. His beard is not very
hard to shave, but; he likes to have me
take my time about:it,i and almost goes
to sleep while being shaved. He has
been sufferer from neuralgia for
great many years and likes to have his
head rubbed. l suppose there must be
something in magnetism, of which
have heard, but of which I know very
little, because Senator Quay likes to
have me rub his head for a long while.
After I have done shaving him some
times rub his head for ten or fifteen
minutes, and on some occasions l have
rubbed his head great deal longer
than that. He seems to be entirely at
rest and free from care at such times,
and keep on rubbing his head until he
tells me that he has had enough OF that
treatment and then quit. Like him
very well, because he is SO gentle and
kind and considerate with me, and !
would serve him all day long if he would
only say so, and it would be pleasure
for me to do so. He is one of the incest
gentlemen that l. ever had in my chair
and when am through with my work
he always pays me very literally in.
deed. 1have shaved great many men
Of prominence and a great many men Of
obscurity and great. many men in the
middle walks of life, but 1 do not think
ever received better and kindlier
treatment from anyone than have al
ways received from Senator Quay. He
is certainly perfect gentleman.
II like to shave Senator Allison's pri-
vate secretary, Mr.. Morgan. He is one
of the most quiet and refined young
men 1 ever met in my life, and he is
also very liberal. He is not nervous, or
fretful, or fault-fnding, as SO many:
men are when they are in the barber's
chair; but he is always polite and quiet,
and says: Thank you for every at
tention so that ! feel as though was
serving one of the chosen people. /
have been told by other people who have
been in my chair that that same quiet
little private secretary of Senator AL
ison is one Of the most influential men
in thetcapitol building. He does not
make any pretensions, and always talks
in q very low tone Of voice without any
degree Of excitement and apparently:
without any degree of particular inter.
est il anything, but gentlemen Of high
standing who have been in my chair
have told me he is a very shire Nd and
sagacions politician, who knows more
Of public men than any other man IN
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