The Detroit times., 1912-10-03


There Amt no one there" exclaim
cd the barber.
He's passed out or sight" said IN,
Watermelon. making q feeble attemp
TO see up the street. He was almos
by as ! saw him."
DO you take mef' he asked, a
they returned to the counter and th'
subject OF the cash register. Hi
hands were In his pockets and oc
casionally he jingled the keys.
"Aw. go on" urged Harry. who wal
a sport. What are you afraid or"
He couldn't have picked II" in
sisted the barber. whose faith In hii
register was really sublime.
| Sure he could. They are easy q
a guy who knows the ropes declared
the Watermelon. The drummer wal
handing you a lot OF hot air when tt
said they can't be picked. You dom
want TO be so easy"
The slur on his mental capacity
was too much for the barber. Hill
vanity rose In defense OF his register
where his faith had failed. Il have
some brains" he snorted. II know
the thing Is perfectly safe. Yes.
take you"
He started to open the register, bu,
the Watermelon objected. Here" hs
cried, "let Harry do IL. I'm not want
Ing to be bunkced out OF me hard
earned lucre." And he lovingly rat
tied the keys in his pockets.
Harry and the others stepped for
ward.
How much has been registered? -
asked the Watermelon.
Harry drew forth the strip OF paper
and after 4 few moments OF menta
agony. confused by the different re
suits each obtained as all peeret
eagerly over his shoulder, he finally
arrived at the correct answer, thres
dollars and sixty cents. II was Sun
day and shaving day for the male
quarter OF the population.
"Three-sixty," announced Harry ir
some trepidation, lest he be fatty
and promptly corrected.
The barber reached for the slip and
added II on his own account Three
sixty" he agreed, and sighed.
Count the cash" ordered the
Watermelon, and Harry counted, slow
iy, carefully laboriously, and the rest
counted with him. more or less
audibly
When the last coin had been coun'
ed. there was a moment OF puzzled
silence. The Watermelon broke II.
"Three-thirty-fve," said he. What
did tell your
Here snapped the barber, let
me count It,"
He pushed Harry aside and again
all counted as the barber passed the
coins. Quarters, dimes, nickels and
PENNIES, the last one was lingeringly
laid on the pile and the sum was lack
|! ing a quarter to make II complete
according to the registered clip.
Three dollars and thirty-fve
cents" said the Watermelon again
like the voice OF doom.
We'll, l vum!" exclaimed Harry.
How'd he do IT." asked the
grocer's son, with an aye out for pos
sibly similar emergencies nearer
home.
The Watermelon shrugged. II dom,
know" said he. Cant do II myself
but the fellers In the cities have got
ten so they cen open 'em the minute
the clerk turns his back. They cav
no IL WitnOut huy uoipc, toOf huu DC
quick you cant catch 'em. I'll be
hanged II know how they do It."
Again the barber counted tho
change, again he totaled the numbers
on the registered slip. They would not
agree. That painful lack OF quarter
could not be bridged.
He said II was automatic book
keeping" moaned the barber, glarins
at the slip that would register moth
ing less than three dollars and sixty
cents.
"The bookkeeping's all right" said
the Watermelon, ITS the money tina
Amt"
He gathered up the coins, slowly
lovingly, and the barber turned away
from the painful sight.
do you want q shaver" he asked
GROSSLY.
The Watermelon sank gracefully
into the chair IT'S hard luok," said
he sympathetically. but you oughL
to be so easy. Get wise, get wise"