Year: 1875

said as he pushed my head over and
daubed the lather on the right cheek,
commencing at the butt of the ear.


Silence on my part.


'This town needs another dry
goods store," he continued after a
moment, and l shouldn't wonder if
you just coined money"


Long silence.


Perhaps it was the silence which
convinced the barber that he had
made a mistake, but he was not dis
couraged. AS he lathered the left
cheek he suddenly said:


"Thcre are three or four lawyers
here now, but, as Christopher Colum-
bus SAID, there's room at the top of
the heap and I think you'll be full
Of business all the time"


lie was looking right down into
my face, and through the foam of
lather he might have detected faint
smile, frown, or some other express
sion which hurt his conceit. He in
stantly suspected that he had made
another mistake. | was looking into
the glass on the wall and saw his
countenance change. Some BARRIERS
would have pursued the subject fur
ther, but he was the only barber in
the village, and he felt tina. he had
certain rights which l was bound to
respect. He might have reasoned
that | was mulish and obstinate and
needed coaxing and fattering, or per-
haps he theorized that | was timid
and hesitating, and wanted encour-
aging. At any rate he soon attacked
me again, saying:


"This is nice village, but never
saw so much sickness in my life as we
had this year. Our doctors don't
seem to know enough to manage this
disease, and I'm glad you're going to
open an office. | am pretty healthy
as general thing, but if get sick
I'll give you my custom in preference
to any one else"


Still watching the glass, I saw
self-satisfied smile ripple across his
face. For about half minute he
was dead sure in his own mind that
he had boxed me up. Then shade
of suspicion crossed his face. Silence
sometimes gives consent, but in this
case, after scrutinizing my face sharp
ly for an instant, he interpreted it to
mean that he had blundered again.
He was vextd. I had no right to sit
4 fln and H., "a
queries with such contemptuous
silence. He would pay me for such
conduct. I saw the spirit of resolve
creep into his face, and he said:


81 was saying only the other day
that this town was able to support an
other blacksmith shop! Old Jones
is good hearted, but he knows no
more about shoeing horse than
coon does about sailing a canal boat"


His eyes glistened, and he took no
pains to keep down the chuckle Of
satisfaction bubbling up into his
throat He regarded it as line shot
a crusher-and if he hadn't been
shaving my chin at that time he
would have been unable to suppress
q laugh.


His razor crossed the chm, scraped
up and down, and skipped around to
the iuglar vein before the BARRIERS
smile faded He had been watching
me to catch start of surprise or a
look of displeasure, or something to
guide his opinion; and as he had
been unsuccessful, he renewed the
lathcr on the left cheek and sighed
drearily. l hoped he was a man Of
determination, and trusted that he
/ would not give up. Fearing that he
would, was about to speak, when he
smiled blandly, and remarked


81 can tell school teacher the
minute set eyes on him."


Lather and silence.


"And it's funny, too," he continued,
''that l have shaved every professor
in the Normal School here the very
first morning of his arrival, and have
told each and every one that he was
a professor before he had said word
to me-


Silence and shave.


"Well, / suppose teaching is good
paying business" he went on, as he
looked my face over to see if he had
skipped u spot, sand I'm willing to
help you all | can. | haven't any
children am not married but if
ever I get married and have children
I'll send them to school to you"


His persistency and tiattery deserv-
ed some encouragement, but was
determined to hold out to the last
ditch. He shut up his razor with
quick, vexed motion, tossed it on the
stand regardless of damages, and he
smiled maliciously as he got down
his bottle of unadulterated bay rum.
I knew it would bite like serpent
and sting like an adder, but could l
show more stoicism than he had
shown diplomacy and persistency?
Didn't | commence the struggle?


| shut my teeth, looked straight
into the glass, and he Sopped the fiery
stuff over my checks and chin. He
expected squirm and a yell, and his
surprise was great. The light of re-
venge had crept into his eyes, but it
quickly faded away and as he re-
placed the bottle and wiped my face
with the towel he said:


81 never saw but one other man
who could stand bay rum like that,
and he was returned Californian.-
The climate of that country hardens
the flesh, suppose?"


l refused to reply. He got angry
again, dug my scalp as he -combed
my hair, gave my head several un-
necessary twists and knocks and
pushes, and he jerked the big calico
apron off my lap as if he hated me.
However, curiosity suddenly over
come his veXaticn of spirit, and rs he
brushed me off he said:


''This town ought to support anoth-
er undertaken, and if | can be of any
assistance in finding you a shop you
can call upon me day or night


| wouldn't speak, and heard him
eritting his teeth. He also struck
me several hard blows with the brush
and once tried to hit me fair on the
nose. l thought | had discouraged
him, but just as put on my hat and
! oOpnad thp door he made n last deS-