The Washington herald., 1912-08-18

his own charms, uncontaminated by a
shaggy, two-weeks' growth ef beard.
Yes" admitted the barber slowly
He did look at himself for long
time"
"And some of the time your back
was turned" added the Watermelon
you were probably cleaning up OF
looking for whisk"
YES" admitted the barber again
still more reluctantly. But nobody
can bust into one of them cash reg.
isters, not without noise that would
be heard across the ROOM"
I'll bet he did" said the Water
melon. DO you take me?'
But they can't be busted" reiterated
the barber.
Then why the devil don't you bet y
demanded the Watermelon. you are
bettin' on sure thing"
couraged Wilton's gay youth in JOY
ful chorus.
The barber started for his precious
register, but the Watermelon reached
it first and laid his hand on it.
DO you take me?' he asked. "You
have to say that before you can count
the change or the bets Say, is that
the galoot:' he nodded suddenly to-
ward the window and all turned quick
ly, instinctively. to look up the village
street. The Watermelon hastily thrust
a thin comb between the bell and the
gong so it would not ring as he gently
pressed the accent key, registering an
other quarter, then he joined the 9TH
ers, pushing and struggling to see the
man who did not pass, and gazed Ian
guidly over their heads.
There amt no one there eXclaim-
ed the barber.
He's passed out of sight" said the
Watermelon. making a feeble attempt
to see up the street "He was almost
by as | saw him.
DO you take me?' he asked, as they
returned to the counter and the sub
ject of the cash register. His hands
were in his pockets and occasionally he
jingled the keys.
"Aw, go on urged Harry, who was
a sport. What are you afraid of:
He couldn't have picked it, insist
ed the barber. whose faith in his reg
lister was really sublime.
Sure he couio iney are easy to a
guy who knows the ropes" declared
the Watermelon. The drummer was
handing you a lot of hot air when he
said they can't be picked. You don't
want to be so easy"
The slur on his mental capacity was
too much for the barber. His vanity
rose in defense of his register where
his faith had failed. Il have some
brains," he snorted u know the
thing is perfectly safe. Yes, take
you"
He started to open the register. but
the Watermelon objected. Here" he
cried, let Harry do it. I'm not want
ing to be bunkoed out of me hard
earned lucre" And he lovingly ratified
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 a few moments OF mental
agony, confused by the different re-
suits each obtained as all peered eager
ly over his shoulder, he finally arrived
at the correct answer, $500. II was
Sunday and shaving day for the male
quarter of the population.
Three sixty" announced Harry in
some trepidation, lest he be fatty and
promptly corrected
The barber reached for the slip and
added it on his own account Three
sixty" he agreed. and sighed.
Count the cash" ordered the Wat
ermelon. and Harry counted, slowly,
carefully. laboriously, and the rest
counted with him, more or less audi
bly,
When the last coin had been count
ed, there was moment OF puzzled
silence The Watermelon broke il.
Three thirty-fve," said he. What
did I tell youa'
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 lacking a quarter
to make it complete according TO the
registered slip.
Three dollars and thirty-hve cents" :"
said the Watermelon again, like the
voice of doom.
We'll. | vum," exclaimed Harry.
How'd he do it, asked the gro
GERS son, with an eye out for possibly
similar emergencies nearer home.
The Watermelon shrugged. Il don't
know" said he Cant do it myself,
but the fellers in the cities have got
ten so they can open 'em the minute
the clerk turns his back. They can
do it without any noise. too. and 80
hanged if ! know how they do. il"
Again the barber counted the change,
again he totaled the numbers on the
registered slip. They would not agree
That painful lack of a quarter could
not be bridged.
He said it was automatic book
keeping" moaned the barber, glaring
at the slip that would register nothing
less than three dollars and sixty cents
THE bookkeepings all right said
the Watermelon, Its the money that
amt
He gathered up the coins, slowly,
lovingly, and the barber turned away
from the painful sight
DO you want shave:" he asked
Grossly.
The Watermelon sank gracefully
into the chair. IFS hard luck said
he sympathetically. but you oughtn't
to be so easy. Get wise, get wise"