The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-10-20

| any man in the shop. He said nothing
! and Sawed wood" 1t was long time
before even the BARRIERS working next
him "tumbled" to his smooth little
| graft. . s:.@
On a recent visit to Chicago, while
making the rounds of my old haunts,
| I called at this shop, and there wa,
this barber busy, as usual, trimming,
| gray beard.
Although there was not a customer
! waiting, the moment began remov-
ing my hat and overcoat he said, in his
polite and ELUSIVE manner:
Johnston, am very sorry, but I
have four men waiting for me, but any
| of these men will give you a fine
shave" ~~ -"'. -
After awakening the barber st the
| first empty chair. I sat down. He
glared at me savagely, and said: Hail
cut?"
do you think it needs it," asked
well, it needs a little trimming
around the edges, and ought to be
washcd.'
"So?" / answered. "Strange-just
had it cut, and my head shampooed in
Cleveland day before yesterday. Guess
I'll let it go Tor another day. Just
give me shave, now"
At this he grabbed towel, and plac-
ing it over my shirt front, began stuff
fling it viciOusly down my neck.
"Why didn't you let your friend up
there shave you? saw you shake
hands with him.
did you see that?" asked.
"Of course did,"
"How could you?" inquired, when
you were so sound asleep I had to
awaken you?"
Having finished lathering me, be
brought out an old blade as wide as a
case knife and began to rake me up
! one way and down the other.
Nov, see here,'' said, you put
away that old hoe, and get out your
best razor, and give me as good a
shave as you ever gave a man in this
shop, or I'll bump your head up
against that mirror good and hard.
Now, don't fool away any more time.
lOl 1Acdu UuSAucoSs
No man ever got down to business
more quickly than he did, and there
after he was courtesy itself. He even
grew confidential, and had no trouble
in obtaining his opinion of the tall man
with whom I had just shaken hands,
and who, by this time, had another gray
beard in his chair and others waiting.
Jealousy and contempt do not suf11-
GENTLY express this BARRIERS feeling
for the tall man. who had outdone
them all, mentally and financially.
Every man who has been a constant
patron of BARRIERS knows that there are
no men in the world more jealous Of
tall man raking in coin on graft
| that had held good for 20 years was
surely enough to make less fortunate
BARRIERS turn green with envy.
! 1t isn't only the system of graft, but
| the tipping, that is demoralizing the
| barber business. The more intelligent
the barber, the better class of trade he
will command, and there is no reason
| why he should permit himself to re-
main on a level with the English
| lackey or the French table waiter.
| II every frst-class barber shop
| would charge Is cents for a shave, and
forbid tips, the patrons would be bet
ter satisfied, while the BARRIERS would
be as we'll compensated.
Relating these barber gratis reminds
me of the following episode:
Fifteen years ago, while a residen.
of Chicago, had barber named Dick,
at one of the leading shops, to whom
I endeavored to give all my work.
One time I had occasion to go on a
! weeks trip to Kankakee, Ill. l had
! the worst had ever seen. On return
ing to the city I went to the barber
shop the next day and, finding Dick"
very busy, I took the chair of barber
named Jones.
"Great Caesar! Johnston" he said,
what bum hair cut! Where on earth
did you get it,"
"Why?" inquired, whats the mat
ter with it?'
| "Well, Johnston he went on, that
is absolutely the worst ever saw
Who cid it,"
why" said I, ''Dick, of course, and
he told me it was the best job he had
done for six :. weeks, and you know
Dick; reputation as a barber. Jus:
call Dick here and see what he has to
say for himself" y as-@sa
mo, no." cried Jones': .'sYou know
how Dick is; he's a scrapper. .:,Letit
go; let it CO." >~.S'',
But" l insisted, "I'll not stand for
such bad hair cut. I am going after
Dick, good and hard"
"Oh,' said Jones. lit isn't so awful
bad To tell you the truth, was just
joking. The hair cut is all right"
When ready to leave, / said:
II am not quite satisfied with this
haircut, and" Ss.zsSzsS..
But" he interrupted, .tdo1nt sat a
word to Dick; he'll half kill mesIf you
do" 49,. 8s 49,. "a
WELL" insisted, Il shall speak to
| him aho,1t if anvhOw" "a: