sunshine sketches of a little town-第6部分

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boom　Mariposa　than　any　ten　men　in　town。　Some　of　them　said　he　ought　to
run　for　the　town　council；　and　others　wanted　to　make　him　the
Conservative　candidate　for　the　next　Dominion　election。　The　caff　was　a
mere　babel　of　voices；　and　even　the　Rats'　Cooler　was　almost　floated
away　from　its　moorings。

And　in　the　middle　of　it　all；　Mr。　Smith　found　time　to　say　to　Billy；
the　desk　clerk：　〃Take　the　cash　registers　out　of　the　caff　and　the
Rats'　Cooler　and　start　counting　up　the　books。〃

And　Billy　said：　〃Will　I　write　the　letters　for　the　palms　and　the
tables　and　the　stuff　to　go　back？〃

And　Mr。　Smith　said：　〃Get　'em　written　right　away。〃

So　all　evening　the　laughter　and　the　chatter　and　the　congratulations
went　on；　and　it　wasn't　till　long　after　midnight　that　Mr。　Smith　was
able　to　join　Billy　in　the　private　room　behind　the　〃rotunda。〃　Even
when　he　did；　there　was　a　quiet　and　a　dignity　about　his　manner　that
had　never　been　there　before。　I　think　it　must　have　been　the　new　halo
of　the　Conservative　candidacy　that　already　radiated　from　his　brow。　It
was；　I　imagine；　at　this　very　moment　that　Mr。　Smith　first　realised
that　the　hotel　business　formed　the　natural　and　proper　threshold　of
the　national　legislature。

〃Here's　the　account　of　the　cash　registers；〃　said　Billy。

〃Let　me　see　it；〃　said　Mr。　Smith。　And　he　studied　the　figures　without　a
word。

〃And　here's　the　letters　about　the　palms；　and　here's　Alphonse　up　to
yesterday〃

And　then　an　amazing　thing　happened。

〃Billy；〃　said　Mr。　Smith；　〃tear'em　up。　I　ain't　going　to　do　it。　It
ain't　right　and　I　won't　do　it。　They　got　me　the　license　for　to　keep
the　caff　and　I'm　going　to　keep　the　caff。　I　don't　need　to　close　her。
The　bar's　good　for　anything　from　forty　to　a　hundred　a　day　now；　with
the　Rats'　Cooler　going　good；　and　that　caff　will　stay　right　here。〃

And　stay　it　did。

There　it　stands；　mind　you；　to　this　day。　You've　only　to　step　round　the
corner　of　Smith's　Hotel　on　the　side　street　and　read　the　sign：　LADIES'
AND　GENT'S　CAFE；　just　as　large　and　as　imposing　as　ever。

Mr。　Smith　said　that　he'd　keep　the　caff；　and　when　he　saida　thing　he
meant　it！

Of　course　there　were　changes；　small　changes。

I　don't　say；　mind　you；　that　the　fillet　de　beef　that　you　get　there　now
is　perhaps　quite　up　to　the　level　of　the　filet　de　boeufs　aux
champignons　of　the　days　of　glory。

No　doubt　the　lamb　chops　in　Smith's　Caff　are　often　very　much　the　same；
nowadays；　as　the　lamb　chops　of　the　Mariposa　House　or　the　Continental。

Of　course；　things　like　Omelette　aux　Trufles　practically　died　out　when
Alphonse　went。　And；　naturally；　the　leaving　of　Alphonse　was
inevitable。　No　one　knew　just　when　he　went；　or　why。　But　one　morning　he
was　gone。　Mr。　Smith　said　that　〃Alf　had　to　go　back　to　his　folks　in　the
old　country。〃

So；　too；　when　Alf　left；　the　use　of　the　French　language；　as　such；　fell
off　tremendously　in　the　caff。　Even　now　they　use　it　to　some　extent。
You　can　still　get　fillet　de　beef；　and　saucisson　au　juice；　but　Billy
the　desk　clerk　has　considerable　trouble　with　the　spelling。

The　Rats'　Cooler；　of　course；　closed　down；　or　rather　Mr。　Smith　closed
it　for　repairs；　and　there　is　every　likelihood　that　it　will　hardly
open　for　three　years。　But　the　caff　is　there。　They　don't　use　the
grills；　because　there's　no　need　to；　with　the　hotel　kitchen　so　handy。

The　〃girl　room；〃　I　may　say；　was　never　opened。　Mr。　Smith　promised　it；
it　is　true；　for　the　winter；　and　still　talks　of　it。　But　somehow
there's　been　a　sort　of　feeling　against　it。　Every　one　in　town　admits
that　every　big　hotel　in　the　city　has　a　〃girl　room〃　and　that　it　must
be　all　right。　Still；　there's　a　certainwell；　you　know　how　sensitive
opinion　is　in　a　place　like　Mariposa。



TWO

The　Speculations　of　Jefferson　Thorpe

It　was　not　until　the　mining　boom；　at　the　time　when　everybody　went
simply　crazy　over　the　Cobalt　and　Porcupine　mines　of　the　new　silver
country　near　the　Hudson　Bay；　that　Jefferson　Thorpe　reached　what　you
might　call　public　importance　in　Mariposa。

Of　course　everybody　knew　Jeff　and　his　little　barber　shop　that　stood
just　across　the　street　from　Smith's　Hotel。　Everybody　knew　him　and
everybody　got　shaved　there。　From　early　morning；　when　the　commercial
travellers　off　the　6。30　express　got　shaved　into　the　resemblance　of
human　beings；　there　were　always　people　going　in　and　out　of　the　barber
shop。

Mullins；　the　manager　of　the　Exchange　Bank；　took　his　morning　shave
from　Jeff　as　a　form　of　resuscitation；　with　enough　wet　towels　laid　on
his　face　to　stew　him　and　with　Jeff　moving　about　in　the　steam；　razor
in　hand；　as　grave　as　an　operating　surgeon。

Then；　as　I　think　I　said；　Mr。　Smith　came　in　every　morning　and　there
was　a　tremendous　outpouring　of　Florida　water　and　rums；　essences　and
revivers　and　renovators；　regardless　of　expense。　What　with　Jeff's
white　coat　and　Mr。　Smith's　flowered　waistcoat　and　the　red　geranium　in
the　window　and　the　Florida　water　and　the　double　extract　of　hyacinth；
the　little　shop　seemed　multi…coloured　and　luxurious　enough　for　the
annex　of　a　Sultan's　harem。

But　what　I　mean　is　that；　till　the　mining　boom；　Jefferson　Thorpe　never
occupied　a　position　of　real　prominence　in　Mariposa。　You　couldn't；　for
example；　have　compared　him　with　a　man　like　Golgotha　Gingham；　who；　as
undertaker；　stood　in　a　direct　relation　to　life　and　death；　or　to
Trelawney；　the　postmaster；　who　drew　money　from　the　Federal　Government
of　Canada；　and　was　regarded　as　virtually　a　member　of　the　Dominion
Cabinet。

Everybody　knew　Jeff　and　liked　him；　but　the　odd　thing　was　that　till　he
made　money　nobody　took　any　stock　in　his　ideas　at　all。　It　was　only
after　he　made　the　〃clean　up〃　that　they　came　to　see　what　a　splendid
fellow　he　was。　〃Level…headed〃　I　think　was　the　term；　indeed　in　the
speech　of　Mariposa；　the　highest　form　of　endowment　was　to　have　the
head　set　on　horizontally　as　with　a　theodolite。

As　I　say；　it　was　when　Jeff　made　money　that　they　saw　how　gifted　he
was；　and　when　he　lost　it；but　still；　there's　no　need　to　go　into
that。　I　believe　it's　something　the　same　in　other　places　too。

The　barber　shop；　you　will　remember；　stands　across　the　street　from
Smith's　Hotel；　and　stares　at　it　face　to　face。

It　is　one　of　those　wooden　structuresI　don't　know　whether　you　know
themwith　a　false　front　that　sticks　up　above　its　real　height　and
gives　it　an　air　at　once　rectangular　and　imposing。　It　is　a　form　of
architecture　much　used　in　Mariposa　and　understood　to　be　in　keeping
with　the　pretentious　and　artificial　character　of　modern　business。
There　is　a　red；　white　and　blue　post　in　front　of　the　shop　and　the　shop
itself　has　a　large　square　window　out　of　proportion　to　its　little　flat
face。

Painted　on　the　panes　of　the　window　is　the　remains　of　a　legend　that
once　spelt　BARBER　SHOP；　executed　with　the　flourishes　that　prevailed
in　the　golden　age　of　sign　painting　in　Mariposa。　Through　the　window
you　can　see　the　geraniums　in　the　window　shelf　and　behind　them　Jeff
Thorpe　with　his　little　black　scull　cap　on　and　his　spectacles　drooped
upon　his　nose　as　he　bends　forward　in　the　absorption　of　shaving。

As　you　open　the　door；　it　sets　in　violent　agitation　a　coiled　spring　up
above　and　a　bell　that　almost　rings。　Inside；　there　are　two　shaving
chairs　of　the　heavier；　or　electrocution　pattern；　with　mirrors　in
front　of　them　and　pigeon　holes　with　individual　shaving　mugs。　There
must　be　ever　so　many　of　them；　fifteen　or　sixteen。　It　is　the　current
supposition　of　each　of　Jeff's　customers　that　everyone　else　but
himself　uses　a　separate　mug。　One　corner　of　the　shop　is　partitioned
off　and　bears　the　sign：　HOT　AND　COLD　BATHS；　50　CENTS。　There　has　been
no　bath　inside　the　partition　for　twenty　yearsonly　old　newspapers
and　a　mop。　Still；　it　lends　distinction　somehow；　just　as　do　the　faded
cardboard　signs　that　hang　against　the　mirror　with　the　legends：
TURKISH　SHAMPOO；　75　CENTS；　and　ROMAN　MASSAGE；　1。00。

They　said　commonly　in　Mariposa　that　Jeff　made　money　out　of　the　barber
shop。　He　may　have；　and　it　may　have　been　that　that　turned　his　mind　to
investment。　But　it's　hard　to　see　how　he　could。　A　shave　cost　five
cents；　and　a　hair…cut　fifteen　（or　the　two；　if　you　liked；　for　a
quarter）；　and　at　that　it　is　hard　to　see　how　he　could　make　money；　even
when　he　had　both　chairs　going　and　shaved　first　in　one　and　then　in　the
other。

You　see；　in　Mariposa；　shaving　isn't　the　hurried；　perfunctory　thing
that　it　is　in　the　city。　A　shave　is　looked　upon　as　a　form　of　physical
pleasure　and　lasts　anywhere　from　twentyfive　minutes　to　three…quarters
of　an　hour。

In　the　morning　hours；　perhaps；　there　was　a　semblance　of　haste　about
it；　but　in　the　long　quiet　of　the　afternoon；　as　Jeff　leaned　forward
towards　the　customerand　talked　to　him　in　a　soft　confidential
monotone；　like　a　portrait　painter；　the　razor　would　go　slower　and
slower；　and　pause　and　stop；　move　and　pause　again；　till　the　shave　died
away　into　the　mere　drowse　of　conversation。

At　such　hours；　the　Mariposa　barber　shop　would　become　a　very　Palace　of
Slumber；　and　as　you　waited　your　turn　in　one　of　the　wooden　arm…chairs
beside　the　wall；　what　with　the　quiet　of　the　hour；　and　the　low　drone
of　Jeff's　conversation；　the　buzzing　of　the　flies　against　the　window
pane　and　the　measured　tick　of　the　clock　above　the　mirror；　your　head
sank　dreaming　on　your　breast；　and　the　Mariposa　Newspacket　rustled
unheeded　on　the　floor。　It　makes　one　drowsy　just　to　think　of　it！

The　conversation；　of　course；　was　the　real　charm　of　the　place。　You
see；　Jefferson's　forte；　or　specialty；　was　information。　He　could　tell
you　more　things　within　the　compass　of　a　half…hour's　shave　than　you
get　in　days　of　laborious　research　in　an　encyclopaedia。　Where　he　got
it　all；　I　don't　know；　but　I　am　inclined　to　think　it　came　more　or　less
out　of　the　newspapers。

In　the　city；　people　never　read　the　newspapers；　not　really；　only
little　bits　and　scraps　of　them。　But　in　Mariposa　it's　different。　There
they　read　the　whole　thing　from　cover　to　cover；　and　they　build　up　on
it；　in　the　course　of　years；　a　range　of　acquirement　that　would　put　a
college　president　to　the　blush。　Anybody　who　has　ever　heard　Henry
Mullins　and　Peter　Glover　talk　about　the　future　of　China　will　know
just　what　I　mean。

And；　of　course；　the　peculiarity　of　Jeff's　conversation　was　that　he
could　suit　it　to　his　man　every　time。　He　had　a　kind　of　divination
about　it。　There　was　a　certain　kind　o