The Chicago world., 1900-01-27
THE MEN WHO TALK.
of Conversation, Says One
of the Latter.

of the Latter.
The little barber was inclined to be
uncommunicative and confined his at
tention strictly to shaving his custom
er. This rather unusual mood bothered
the customer, and after several inef-
fectual attempts to engage the little
barber in conversation, he asked:
why don't you say something more
than yes and 'no?' Usually you are.
perfectly willing to talk and especially
so when the man you are shaving
wishes TO be let alone.
That's right" retorted the little bar
ber as he made a vicious dab with his.
lather brush and managed TO insert the
| tip of it in his victims mouth. That's
right. OF course, we BARRIERS always
want to talk-not. It's just you people
that come in here expecting to be en-
tertained while you lie back in the
chair that cause BARRIERS to keep up %
conversation while they are shaving
you. It's funny idea that everybody
seems to have that barber is a sort
of an encyclopaedia anxious to fur
|
subject. The truth of the matter is that
the barber would rather that there
| should be no conversation. 1t takes his
mind off his work and then, unless he
agrees in every particular with the man
in the chair, the latter is very apt to
take offense and quit the place.
"That may seem drawing it rather
strong. but it is mild. One day last
week there was a man in this chair who
made about the same remark that you
did just now, and | told him just about
what l have said to you. He wanted to
make a bet, and l accommodated him.
| bet that a great majority of men who
came in during the day would begin
the conversation, while he took the OPP
posite view. We each had a piece OF
paper, and after we had noted down
81 men he handed me the money and
went out without a word Out of that
81 all but four had started the con-
versation and had done their best to
prolong it.
The first man had a small package
wrapped up in a newspaper in his hand
when he entered. AS | was lathering
him he asked: DO you know what
there is in that package? l FASTENED
to assure him that / was no mahatma
and was willing to let it go at that.
We'll, I'll tell you,' he said. It's II
couple of pieces of gaspipe that have
been subject to electrolysis and are
curiously worn And with that he
started to talk about the thing, and tell
what a great scheme he had to prevent
electrolyss and what fortune he
would realize from it. He was still
talking about ii when the boy helped
him on with his coat and then he talked
to a man sitting in one of the chairs
and waiting for his turn until the man
went over to the stand in the corner
and had his shoes shined to escape from
him.
Next came the man who knew all
about prize-fghting. l had to listen to
the history of every prize fighter OF
the past 25 years And it was only
when a man in the next chair turned
and called him down for slipping up
on date that he stopped talking. At
that. he waited until the man who had
called him down left the shop and Them
informed me that he could prove what
he said.
Then there was one of those real
wise guys came in and wanted a sham
poo. He was pretty near the limit
There wasn't a single subject that he
wasn't thoroughly informed on-in his
own estimation. And he wanted ev-
eryb body in the place to know what he
knew. He could give you more misin-
formation in less time thar anybody
I ever met before. One of my regular
customers came in then and as he ap
peared good-natured | smiled at him.
Who told you about it?' he asked, when
he saw me smile.
"'About what% says |.
"'Why, my little adventure with that
toupet YOU picked out for me- he an
| swered, and then he went on and told
me all about it,
1T kept up that way all morning
religion, politics, sport, business and
everything you could think Of. And L
l had to appear interested in each sub
ject. Out of all the men who came
in no two talked on the same subject.
All but four began the conversation.
a Half of them went out dissatisfied be-
cause 1 had dared to disagree with
l their views, and the other half probably
; set me down as a fool. And yet you
say that the barber always wants tc
talk. Come in here some day and sit
for awhile and then wonder why
don't care to do rapid-fre conversa
5 tion turn with every man that sits in
the chair.
+ "'Pay at the desk. Thank you, sir
} NeXt."-N. Y. Sun.