New orisans. April II, is47.

ANARRow EscAPE.
{"character_count": 3737, "word_count": 688, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9713000059127808], "ccnet_perplexity": [2098.5], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
A MARROW ESCAPE,

 Ia the mostk cf October, 1926, my vessel sas lying ai Mobile l went ashore one srisbt morning. to do some business with ,be house to which wss consigned, and as passed Along the street it occurred to me .has night as well have beard of a weeks rowth reeped, before Prrsehied myself at ne couating room. stepped into | bar ser's shop, and told the barber to proceed.

 He was bright mulasto. good looking ! rouag follow, not more than two and twenty vears of age; il appeared His eyes were .rre, black. and lustrous, unnalnraIly lus- vors. thought. His manner al first was ;aie, aud respectful. I thought he was 3 Ioag while laihering my face. and told him .aai he mus, have bought his soap at the wholesale price Laughing, he replied iha, nine was a long beard, and that he knew what he was about.

 .Are YOU lhe boss heres nay man l asked.

 Yes he answered, my master set me up, and pay him twenty dollars month for ny tune.

 That Is good interest on the capital In- vested remarked; can yoa pay your rent, and live on the balance oi your savingsa

 Q yes, and lay up something besades.- Sometimes receive thirty bits day'

 Then suppose you will buy your free dom one of these days.

 As for tiat-' he replied, care lII1e.' l have all the liberty l want, and enjoy myself as go along.

 .BHl should you marry, and have children, you would mol wish 10 leave them slaves

 Yes, I would, because they would be bet fer of than if they were free By this time he had lad down ihe brush, and commenced running his razor over the s.rap. looking al the blade every time he drew II across the leather His hand trembled a hide, and his eyes absolutely burned like coals oi fire. ,iid not feel uneasy, but could noi avoid watching him closely, At last he commenced shaving me. My he.d being thrown back, was shie 10 keep my eyes fixed directly on his own. Why dId so, canno, tell; certainly, tappfeheaded nothing, hui dla mol remoTe my gaze for a sngle instant whale the razor was passing ever my neck and throat. He seemed 10 grow more aud moro uneasy; his eyes were as bright. but moi as steady as when 1 first ooserved them He could no; meet my fixed and deliberate look. As he commenced shay irg my chin, he said abruptly 'Barber's handle deadly weapon, sir True enough, nay man. ! replied, but voa la, dle yours skiiinlly, although notice Aai your hand shakes little That's nothing. sir--I can shave just as vel. Ny hand shakes because 1 did mol hare much sleep last light BuL~ was islEkiag lusi noW.i he added with laugh. LOW easy II would be for me to cut your a.oat'

 Very likely replied. laughing in return, es; looking sterniy a, hin--'Eery likely, yei would nos advise you to try the experi- Aent

 Nothing mere was said He soon finish sd. and arose from the chair just ss an elderly gentleman WAS entering ths shop. T5e iast conner diEessed himself of his coat and cravat, and took the seat ] had vacated.

 went 10 the glass which daiaa daiaa So, reflect Ae char, to arrange my collar. Certainly had mol stood before |; for single moment. Shea heard something like a suppressed sarlek- gurgl,ng horrible sound. thai made ny blood run cold. l lurned--gr-at God tere sa. the nnfortgaaie gentleman, covered SlEh blood, hrs throat cut from ear to ear, aed the barber, now a raving maniac dash ng his razor wlth tremendous violence into the mangled neck On the ias,ani the man s eve caught mine. the tszosdrcpped from hts hand. and be fell dowx n a fii rushed lowards the door, and called for assistance. The nalonunats man was dead before we reaehed the chair

 We secured ihe barber, who. as l suAse- quenay learned, dad been drinking deeply tae nlgha before. and was laboring under ~aaaa po,s Hls fate never heard.