The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-12-14
THE eARBER'S CHAIR.
superstitions OF Some of the Men
who Sit In 1t.

who Sit In 1t.
There arc scores of superstitions con-
nected with the BARRIERS chair which
many people believe in implicitly. Bar
bers will tell you that your luck for an
entire day may be made or spoiled by the
way you are shaved. A barber who hopes
to please nowadays must not be an artis-
tic barber, but well informed on all su-
perstitions.
Many men who are perfectly rational
on most subjects have superstitious
fear of the i'll luck of the BARRIERS chair
These superstitions vary considerably in
different cities. 1t is very common be-
lief, however, that for barber to lather
the face with a single up stroke Of the
brush inevitably brings bad luck. Many
people will sharply abuse barber who
makes this mistake.
Another omen is that if a man takes
BARRIERS chair Immediately after a negro
has vacated it he will be badly cut while
being shaved. 1t is not uncommon to
see a man wait for some time for another
chair rather than expose himself to the
danger.
1t is considered very bad luck to see
hunchback in a mirror standing or pass
ing back of one. This omen is said to
foretell death in the family.
There is quite as much good as bad
luck to be encountered.
To be shaved by redheaded barber,
for instance, is believed by many to be
q sure cure for rheumatism. There are
several redheaded BARRIERS in New York
who have kept customers for a long time
on the strength of this superstition. 1t is
also comforting to remember that to be
foil ,t,t %rr,ian fha cid
Of the face in one shaving will insure
good luck for some time. Should this be
done Intentionally, however, the charm is
completely lost.
1t is well to remember that if one con-
tinually sits with legs crossed in the bar
Der shop the hair is likely to come out
early in life, making a man prematurely
bald. The habit, which is a common one,
should therefore be reformed before it is
too late.
A very bad omen is to have the towel
about the neck drop out before one is
shaved. This catastrophe indicates that
one will be cut soon by a BARRIERS care
lessness.
You cannot be too careful about having
your chin shaved before the mustache.
If you persist in having the upper lip
shaved first, you will never, it is said, be
able to raise a good beard.
Another very dangerous practice is the
not common one of using several razors
for single shave. Two razors are al
lowable, but to use more than two even
for q moment is said to bring very bad
luck. A barber will sometimes try u
razor, and if he does not find it sharp
enough pick up another and change to a
third in finishing.
1t is comforting to know that there are
many more chances for receiving good
luck than for bad luck. A person igno-
rant Of all these superstitions has the per-
centage of chance in his favor. Very
good luck is invited by the man who has
his shoes polished at the same time he is
being shaved. 1t may be due partly to
this superstition that this time saving
device is becoming popular. 1t is advisa-
BILE to smoke while sitting in the BARRIERS
chair throughout the operation. This is
said to prevent the face from smarting
or burning afterward, no matter how ten
der the skin may be.
Still another lucky practice is to be
shaved before breakfast. The good luck
which follows, it is said, will follow one
all day. The shaving must be done by
a regular barber. If one shaves himself,
the charm is ineffective. - New York
World