Every hamlet can boast of one or more public hostelry and most of them find time to name one of them Commercial, such is true of Caseyville. The evening train had just arrived, the hotel was busy attending to the wants of the new arrivals, among which was a real out and out lady tonsorial artist who has made known her intention of opening a barber shop in the quiet and staid village. She is soon in the hands of the real estate man and a bargain struck for a location. The sign is placed in position, and the excitement begins. The novelty of the occasion creates more furor than a detachment of hobble skirts at a church fair. The village Beau Brummels, married and unmarried, are in line awaiting their turn. The regular shop presents a grave aspect, especially as regards the absence of customers. McGee drops in to tell the old reliable cause of the sudden slump in business. The news is not received by the ladies of the town with any degree of delight, as they notice their husbands are spending more time and money at the barber shop than usual, some getting shaved 2 or 3 times a day. The new barber is so overwhelmed with business that she sends to the city for more help and in another day the force is increased to four barbers and a lady bootblack. The last arrival was too much; the village belles fairly fumed with rage and vowed vengeance. They hold an indignation meeting and resolve upon a plan. In the meantime the regular shop decides to enter into skirted tonsorial competition and accordingly enlists the services of his wife and hangs his sign out to herald the news, but he has not weighed with the charms of the fair sex and while the customers came, like the girl at the church, "turned right around and walked right out again." The suffragette committee by this time had perfected their defense and ordered the old regular to get busy and send for some young men as hair dressers. This is done and proves a bomb in the camp of the invading barbers and all argument on the part of their men was of no avail. Their wives crowded to the old shop and the fair new arrivals are soon their way.