The San Francisco call., 1905-08-20
PHILOSOPHER
OF THE SHEARS
HAS HIS SAY

CCD I'D IT ever occur to you." asked
the educated barber. "how
- much a man who stands In q
tonsorial establishment all day may
learn? Now in this neighborhood there
come here regularly gentlemen OF re-
fnement and culture. We cater to no
other class 1t keeps me busy reading
10 nave enough topics on hand to talk
about The barber is not responsible
Tor all the conversation in the shop.
AS matter Of fact. he does not start
/ the conversation in most cases. No.
SIR would not presume to engage
gentleman In conversation unless he
/ first began It, The up-to-date barber
must know all about the last interest,"
ing murder case. and when a customer
says, Now what do you think of that
do you think the tall man with the rcd
beard or the short man with the black
mustache did the shooting? the lather
artist must be able to give quick and
intelligent answer
The operator at the next chair to me
nad an embarrassing experience Just
now One OF our best customers came
IN, and IL was evident to me that he
felt very strongly about revelations
concerning society persons being black
mailed My associate. saw at a glance.
! was not in touch with the situation.
L
could make no mistake. So he started
up asserting vigorously. saying that il
was shame and that the rascaIs
should be brought to justice. He did it
very well. and after we were alone /
heartily congratulated him on his ex-
| ploit, at the same time putting him
en- rapport with the situation. The
gentleman who just went out knows all
about automobiles and the way / have
been studying the inside of those We
| hicles required mental effort. 1t pays
too. for 1 go TO shave him at mis- house.
and barber who can talk discerningIy
about carburetors and spark plugs and
such things is valuable as a cOnver-
satlonal atd-and gets i liberal tip.
Yes, sir, the modern barber is all
things to all men. Every customer has
something which he likes TO talk about
and he starts up the topic often to let
loose his enthusiasm or TO express his
indignation. II the San Franciscos
have lost and he feels that the sftua-
tion with regard to the pennant is dis
graceful, the baseball enthusiast finds
in the barber an intelligent and appre-
ciative listener to opinions about UNI
pires and managers and ice wagons and
punches OF errors.
"One of the favorite topics OF conversa-
ton which engages the attention Of the
regular customer Is the nationality OF his
barber. For that reason I always keep
posted on everything pertaining to Italy.
for although I was not born there am so
italian in my appearance that the gentle
men think that / only recently landed. I
am well versed now in Roman history. the
beauties OF Florence and the Italian
school Of music. That answers very well
for at least three customers. one an
Italian banker, another an architect and
the third a German professor Of music
who Is often pleased to tell how Wagner
n NJ
opera ever produced
That young man who Just went out Is
connected with q neighboring dancing
academy. 1t - fortunate that saved
that clipping about the new waltzes.
Anticipating that he would be In soon I
read II with great care. ! think 1t should
be good for a shampoo, q facial massage
and ten cent application OF the newest
hair tonic a. ~ -
BARRIERS are good eouversationalists
because they have the pleasure OF meet
ing SO many men OF education and cul-
ture. Every man has some subject in
which he Is specially well informed. and
he is always glad to enlighten the barber.
In that way, sir. this upholstered chair
becomes college, and the lather Is a dis
sertation and the pass OF q raSor may in
itself comprehend a learned thssis. The
humble shop becomes q university,
haircut IN a oauserie and q shampoo the
equivalent to lecture at the Sorbonne.
have taken a course IN literature In that
I have shaved william Dean Howells
many times, but I am interested In
special branch OF surgery also, for q dis
tinguished specialist always comes to my
chair. All men are glad to talk to the
barber about the matters uppermost In
their minds. SO he not only learns. but Is
able to pass along some Of the ideas
which he acquires.