Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-03-27
A STORY OF QUININE.

N. o. T.res-Democrat-- From chas. Baissacl
He had a name with Jewish ring in
it-something like Chisabach. lido not
know what put it into his. head to
establish himself at Mauritius when he
stopped there on his way from Stras-
bourg to China, with his chemists di-
ploma, q number OF half-filled bottles,
and the great phials destined to contain
eolored fluids for his drug store win
dow. All know is that he
had suddenly decided to purchase
an interest in drug store at
Port ouis, almost without patron
age; that his partner shortly after
ward died; and that he continued to
carry on the business all by himself
without even taking the trouble to
change the name-on the sign. After a
few years he he'd married and his wife
had given him one son. They lived
humbly miserably, in fact; but they
were able TO live at all events, and to
wait for their chance.
1t came at last, in terrible shape
the great fever of 1857.
You remember it. of course. That aw-
full visitor leaves his card with us every
ONE in awhile, as il for fear that We
might forget his name
And the drug store was never empty.
People stood in line, waiting their turn.
The druggist was compelled to hire an
assistant, then another Every night
he went to bed thoroughly exhausted
but the receirts of the day ever e.
ceeded those Of the day before. Quinine,
becoming scarcer and scarcer, rose to
prices difficult for any one to pay, and
impossible for many to dream of pay
ing; consequently, undes the pretext oil
finding som; substitute for the precious
sulphate, the most whimsical com
pounds were offered, and each had its
brief period OF popularity in the general
panic. Powders, iuleps, opiates, each
found favor for an hour; phials and
TASKS were emptied rapidly, and yet
the shelves seemed to remain mex.
haustibly full-lixe the great stretch OF
white sand to the west and the stretch
of red clay lying north of the city.
One evening the druggist wife had a
chill. He rushed to the shelf on which
he kept his quinine he had still ten
bottles left-a value of at least $SC0-a
fortune! Ne tday the fever was broken
but the shock had been violent the con
valescence would be very slow; and The
least relapse, in the young woman
state of weakness, would probably prove
fatal. What was to be done!-leave tn,
city9-fee to the healthier country air
Ito Curepipe, for instance, IN Whose
benign climate fever and mango treel
alike ceased to exist She could go, a
all events, with the little boy, and re
main there for two or three months
until the epidemic should have spent it
strength and residence IN the city haC
becoI less dangerous AS for himself
he must remain at Port Louis. All
.yesl duty You know. Should captain
desert his post during naval engage
ment2 Besides, he could get out Their
for an hour or two on Sundays, to kis
them.
''Now here" he said, sis your lette
of instruction to DR.. Jary. l have rec
commended you to his care as strongl,
as Tknew how. Be sure to send 70
him at once on the least symptom o
fever; but don't wait for him to com
before taking quinine. Here are fv
little packages of twenty grains each
That means good deal of money il
these times. At the least symptom
send messenger to me, and see no:
quick Ill be there. Como now cour
age, little woman! So long as one ha
quinine, you. know, this wicked fever
not at all terrible; and, as far as we ar
concerned, we will always have quinine
p,1f nd Aol Of
five packages, and don't lose them
They are worth money!"
Then he shut the door of the car
riage, after kissing his wife and chill
farewell; and the vehicle took it's wa
toward the region where fever is IN
known.
The house would have seemed to hir
very, very lonesome if he had had tim
to notice the change; but the whole da
long he was busy at work, wrapping
pounding, folding, weighing, selling
and when evening came he flung hin
self on the bed, worn out with fatigue
and slept like dead man until morr
ing.
That evening he had emptied the sev
enth of the bottles Of quinine. Their
remained only three-th is to say, on
for the store and three for the custom
ers. But afterwardl-
Next night he was too much excite
to go to Sleep. He dreamed 'antastict
dreams-dreams Of the marriage feas
at Cana, dreams of the multiplicatio
of loayes and fishes. There were onl
two bottles left He slept badly.
The following day the business WI
tremendous. out of his THREE bottl,
there remained just sIx-two had bee
emptisd during the day. Well, at tn;
rate he could hold out just fifteen da.
more. But after the fifteen days
after another fifteen days'-what thel
he sank to sleep resigned-resolyed
leave the rest to Providence.
One Tuesday evening, the wife WI
taking an evening walk in the little vi
lage of Curepipe, while the colored nurs
followed with the little boy. Passing /
cab she Suddenly heard q sound {
passionate weeping; she was brave an
went in. Sad sight! Lying on mise
able bed was young girl of
with eyes staring wildly in