The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1899-02-23
fellers come here and cut my

Another ana longer pause, anu va
Pool said:
"Jess, it seems like no one will vol
unteer; / reckon I'll have to cut YOU
hair, but | don't like to do it bit"
Nat, can you cut ha'r?"
"Why, jess, I'm the best barber yor
ever saw; Pm barber from Barber
town, / tell you"
"When did you ever cut any harp
"I used to cut all the boys hair be
fore the war. They come for mile:
around, and L had a regular haircut
ting every Saturday"
Well, why aint you said SO before .
"Oh, / didn't want to be bothered
by you fellows, which | knew would be
the case if you found out what good
barber | am"
"Nat, / don't believe you can cut
ha,r, but I'm goin' TO let you try ii
anyhow"
Nat took the scissors, and starting at
the back of his neck, made clean path
over the top TO the forehead, then be-
ginning behind the left ear went diagon-
ally over to the right temple, likewise
from right ear to left temple, a few
circular turns around the base of the
cranium and some patches off the top,
and closing the scissors, said:
"Jess, Pm done"
jess surveyed his tattered locks in a
three-cornered piece of looking-glass,
laid it down and very coolly remarked !:
"Nat, Pm goin' to whup you"
"What for, jess?
"For spilin' my ha'r, that's what
fur"
"Why, jess, that's the latest style; if
you'll notice, all the Generals and Col
onels have their hair cut that way"
81 don't care nothin' about the Gin
erals nor Kurnels, I'm goin' to whup
YOU"
-" jess, yeu can't do it."
"Yes / can, and I'll show you how
quick can do it.
Dry up, jess; you know | can wear
you out before you can say Jack Robin
son. -,'V -s-
The boys had gathered around, as
they always do when there is chance
for fun or fight. Nat is great prac-
tical joker, always having fun at the ex-
pense of Others, and has peculiar
knack of coming out best; but we were
determined he should not bluff nor
joke jess out of it this time, and began
to encourage him. Stand up to him,
jess; we'll see you through"
jess got more aggressive and Nat
more serious; he tried his jokes and
"bluffs " in vain. By this time the
whole regiment and some from other
regiments had gathered around in
solid mass. Bill Summerhill popped
his heels together. Jump up little
niger and jar de groun'!' Stan up
to him, jess; I'm at your back"
Finally jess says: "Nat, I'll let you
off on one condition"
What's that 2"
"You set right thar on that log, and
let me cut your ha'r."
"Tll never do it,
"But you will; I'm goin' to have
ha'r or blud"
Matters were beginning to look
squally for Nat. He wouldn't fight,
and didn't want to have his hair cut,
and couldn't run for the dense crowd
which encircled them, and all halloo-
ing for jess.
Rolling up his sleeves, Give us more
room, boys; I'm goin' for him now,"
he started towards Nat"
"Hold on, hold on, jess; let's talk this
matter over in friendly way"
Nothin' but ha'r or blud. No time
for talkin'. I'm goin' to wear the very
innards outen you, and that mighty
quick. if you don't set right down thar
and let me cut your ha'r.'
1t was too much for Nat; everybody
was against him, and there was no alter
native but TO fight or have his hair cut.
He priced his black, shiny locks very
highly, but rather than risk a fstic en-
counter with jess he reluctantly yielded
and said
"If nothing else viii satisfy you, jess,
/ reckon I'll have to let you cut it; but
if | stay in the army 10 years these
dad-blamed fellows will never let me
hear the last of it.
Handing him the scissors he took his
seat on the same log, and jess proceeded
to dc up his head in about the same
style as his own. When he had M
pleted the job he called for the looking
glass and said:
Now, Nat, look at yourself; you look
jest like a Gineral."
Yes, / reckon / do look like
Gineral," but it's gineral burned
fool"
This is the first time we have ever
seen Nat beaten at his own game"
He is completely crest-fallen, and, as he
says, it will be long time before he
hears the last of it.
ITO be eontinued.)
EDITORIAL EoTE.-Dr Cannon can tell
good humorous story as wei as he can de-
scribe stirring battle scene. Each install
art [TH