Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-12-13

ecuting by electricity! My method
will not only be quicker, but more
painless.
''Just a stroke like this, and it's
all over" and Rhett's heart gave a
wild leap, for he thought his end
had come.
Casey, however, had only drawn
the back of the razor across his
throat, but with such force and ra-
pidity that it burned like fire.
The situation was growing des-
perate. In minute the barber
would be through with his work.
With one hand he had Rhett by the
hair and with the other was finish
ing up the job, while his lips kept
muttering and his body swayed with
excitement. Rhett knew with the
next sweep of that infuriated arm
he would meet his doom. Whatever
he did must be done instantly.
"Well, Henry" he said as lightly
as he could, sharpen up your razor
well before you start, for don't
want any bungling job" For he
thought when the barber turned to
do this he could leap from the chair
and get away.
''It's sharp enough for you, Mr..
Rhett," and the madman grew mad
der as he spoke; "it's sharp enough
for you, sir"
He had already finished shaving.
Rhett's heart almost stood still.
'Now we'll see if it needs to be
sharpened," said Casey, with de-
moniac laugh, and Rhett felt
sharp. sting as the keen blade cut
the skin on his throat.
But, Henry" he rapidly ejacu-
lated, 81 want you to make success
of this, for it will be blessing to
the word-but if you go on now l
tell you it will be failure"
The razor stopped.
"Why?" asked Casey.
The maniac was interested. Rhett
saw that he had gained a point, and
he knew his life depended upon how
he used it. He had touched upon
the mans pet mania. 1t seemed
strange to him now that he had not
thought of it before.
"You will make a failure" he
continued, "because you have told
me all about it, and | have already
suffered as much suspense as the
criminal on the gallows. Besides,
when | feel the razor giving me the
fatal wound | will shrek out in ag-
ony, and the people will say that |
suffered a terrible death. They will
not believe you then that it would
be the most painless mode of execu-
ton. So, you see, Henry, you would
defeat the very object you are try
ing to accomplish"
The barber withdrew the razor
and held it motionless in his hand.
Rhett breathed easier and became
eloquent on the subject of the ex-
pertinent.
"Now, the next man you shave,
Henry, don't say word to him on
the subject, but all at once, in the
twinkling of an eye, put him out.
And | believe you will become a
greater man than the inventor of
the guillotine."
"Well, Mr.. Rhett, / believe you
are right about it, and he began to
close the razor.
The mania was wearing off, and
in its stead there came playful and
mischievous humor.
Patting his customer under the
chin, "Ah, Mr.. Rhett," he said,
"you would look so much better
without your mustache. Now, don't
you want me to take it off for you?"
Afraid to cross him in his humor,
Rhett replied, though it almost
broke his heart to say it:
"Why, certainly, Henry, if you
think it will look better"
On went the lather, and in an
other minute the beautiful silken
strands were no more than the with
cred leaves of the forest.
"Now, Mr.. Rhett, if you had your
hair clipped you would look splen-
did. Don't you want me to take it
off ?"
"Of course, Henry, clip it," came
from those anguished lips. He was
willing to say or do anything to
get that razor back into its case.
So the clippers we're brought out,
and in less than two minutes he
was slicker than newborn rat.
But if his head was light his
heart was, too, when he arose from
the chair, and never in all his life
did he feel SO willing and happy to
pay for shave and hair cut.
OF course everybody laughed at
him when he went out on the street,
a,,l tLa .x:,,l l1orr oo1J olo,,t 80