Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1881 — Terbeek’* Me*. [ARTICLE]

Terbeek’* Me*.

Facto FMtom. Verbeck, the well known preetidlgitateur, once took it into his head to frequent a coiffeur in a rather anfiuthionable quarter of Paris. The establishment wore a not very prosperous aspect, the staff seeming far more numerous than the customers. At the conclusion of his first visit Verbeck, after paying his twenty-five centimes for being shaved, with some ostentation dropped a two-franc piece into the receptacle for the pourboires. A loud and general “Merci, Monsieur,** naturally greeted this princely proceeding, the garoons vying with another as to who should show the generous client most attention. On the succeeding day Verbeck made his appearance in the shop about the same hour, and was received with marked respect. One assistant got a new cake or soap ready, another produced a napkin of ivory whiteness, whiles third carefully stropped the bestraaorin the place. . The patron himself offered his new customer a paper. And even the lady of the house stepped down from heroomptoir to ask whether “Monsieur” would like a foot-warmer. Verbeck, however, paid the twenty-one centimes and dropped a couple of francs into the trone as before. On the third day day, even greater deference on the part of the master, mistress and men. Two pots of flowers had been brought down from the matroune’s own room to deck the toilet in front of which the open-handed customer was in the habit of seating himself. On the fourth day the hairdresser's youthful daughter paid him a pfetty little compliment, at the end of the operation the two francs falling in the trone as usual. Saturday, the day on whidqthe tirelire had to be opened, the excitement became excessive. The proprietor, in an unguarded moment, decided on closing the shop an hour before the usual tune, an i all made up their minds that the wealthy customer’s silver should forthwith be spent in a neighboring gargote. So far good. On opening the trone, however, to the disgust ot the expectant circle, not a single piece of silver was to be found. As a natural result everybody began to suspect everybody else, the mistrust of the garcons gradually centering on the unfortunate patron. The mistrust deepened into hints, and the hints into open charges of malversation of the moneys placed in the supposed culprit’s keeping, and the position of the latter had become far from enviable, when, luckily, Verbeck thought it time to reveal his identity. Having explained that he had always substituted a sou for a two franc piece, by sleight-of-hand, when seeming to drop the silver into the box, and haying compensated the garconA by the present of a louis, mutual apologies were exchanged between the employer and the employed, and the postponed visit was made to the wine shop. On another occasion Verbeck was the author of a practical joke, the victim of which was a garcon at a wellknown case. On entering Verbeck called for a bock and an evening paper, and was speedily served with the Journal and the* beer. Scarcely had the waiter turned his back than Verbeck remarked: “Be a little more attentive, my man! I asked you for a bock and you bring me a mazagran! The garcon was rather astonished, feeling • almost certain that he had served his customer with a bock but thinking he had possibly made a mistake,* he said nothing and quickly returned with another bock. He had not taken three steps, however, before Veibeck again called him bach and somewhat sharply observed, “This is rather too much, garcon! I have twice requested a bock.” “But, sir, I have just—” “You can see for yourself that you gave me a bavaroise. I want a glass of ale.’’ The astounded servitor" fetched a third glass of bock, which was similarly transformed into a glass of currant syrup. This time the garcon loudly protested aud the proprietor had to intervene, Verbeck stating his case so calmly and plausibly that the wretched garcon was on the point of being cashiered on the spot, when his tormentor intervened and avowed himself. He showed that he had carried three little flasks filled respectively with cofiee.milk and syrup.the contents of which his manual dexterity had enabled him, under cover of the newspaper, to transfer in turn to the glass—equally dexterously emptied of its contests—brought him each time by the victimized waiter.