Page:Abroad with Mark Twain and Eugene Field.djvu/116

 MARK INTERVIEWED THE BARBER ABOUT HARRY THAW

During his last visit to London, Mark called me up one morning and said: "My arm aches and I can't do it myself, so for God's sake, take me to a barber who can scrape one's face without taking half the hide off. I am getting mighty tired of being flayed alive in this here burg."

Accordingly we drove down to the Cecil in the Strand.

"I understand you are the man who treats a delicate skin like an American beauty rose," said Mark to the barber.

"I will treat yours, Mr. Clemens, as if it were a butterfly. For I have read what you have said about Italian barbers," was answered. And the things that happened to Mark's face, head, hands and feet while in the chair would fill a column of "The Times" to enumerate. He remained two hours in the chair, and was not allowed to pay a red penny for the accommodation.

Later, at a well-known grillroom, we saw the massage artist alone at a table, and seated ourselves at the same board. The barber talked about other American celebrities and notorieties he had treated and mentioned Thaw.

"Oh, you shaved Harry—tell me about it," said Mark.

When the barber had finished, Mark 112