Griggs courier., 1898-06-24
RARE OLD RELICS
IN A QUEER SHOP.

1O0>N OU lAc OeldWdTe, IN EaSIOn,
~ there is a barber who is charac-
ter. He and his shop are both curiosi-
ties. Not content with making a ca
reer at shaving for over half century
without stopping, he has gathered to-
gether the most remarkable collection
of war relics.
Certain persons have had greater col
lections, probably, but they are persons
who have had more advantages than
Ben Youells. Collecting is the luxury
he allows himself. It is his fad. Where
he ever got all these things even he
couldn't tell you. AS soon as you talk
to him you see he has the true spirit
Of the relic worshiper, not the money
grabber.
Hundreds of the curios are packed
away in the dingy little barber shop
down on the river. Curios that great
museum would tingle to get it's fingers
on. No system is employed in their ar
1angement. They are just heaped and
slowed away, crammed and jammed in
to dark corners and unlabeled shelves.
So easily is fame hidden away under
q bushel measure that few folk in
Easton know of the wonders of the bar
ber shop collection; fewer still know
that he holds the record of the United
States for BARRIERS profession. For
over half century he has piled the
razor and scissors on the heads of men
entirely great and those entirely small.
The other chief attribute of barber
1oquacity-was vouched for when
Youells went into the peppermint pole
profession after having served years as
sea captain.
He has outlived all his sea habits, ex-
cept his ability to spin yarns.
Only two men are living in Easton
who began careers with him. He has
shaved Jacob Reeder and William Busch
this half century.
Youells doesn't believe in letting his
name and profession part. Half dozen
so1s are BARRIERS, and whether he stip-
ulated it or not each of his daughters
married barber.
Easton is probably the only town that
has BARRIERS trust, but the Youells
certainly monopolize the trade. They
firmly believe that not to be shaved by
a Youell is not to have been shaved
properly.
Thatis one of his records.
Another is that he is the living be-
ginning of four generations, and when
he chooses he can whistle nearly half
a hundred children and grandchildren
to his side. This in itselfis career!
When invitations went out for fam
lily dinner on the golden wedding four
years ago Al direct descendants sat
down to table.
Death seems to have forgotten the
Youells. In 81 years of married life
death has only entered the family once,
taking a grandchild. Nine children are
living. and each is a grandparent.
Youells is as vigorous as man of
50; his 7s years he treats as playthings;
they have never added feathers
weight to his mind or heart.
Surely somewhere among his collec-
tion he will find he has picked up a
charm for everlasting life or drop
from Ponce de Icons spring of ever
lasting youth. He may not know its
name. but it must be there!
He has charmed life. Once steam
er on the Delaware exploded-people in
Easton tell you of it yet. Ben Youells
was on it, and so terrible was the con-
cussion that he was violently pitched
over to the bank just near his little
shop. The only comment Youells made
on the accident was characteristics: "If
it had only thrown me little further -
he said, ''it would have put me in my
chair in front the shop"
Added to his great record as barber
and his charmed life, he is assessor of
the Second ward and collector of value
and marvellous skill.
Does it take the climate of Easton to
grow such men?
I was looking for the dial for the
state house, and thought Youells might
know something of it. He didn't, but
he knew so much else and had so much
else that the dial was forgotten. He
was the man who knew that the old
tree planted in the Pennsylvania hos
~ita1 grounds was from branch Of