The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-10-27
THE APOTHECARY'S STORY.

| That ring-yes, 1t Is handsome And why
don't let my wife wear 1t instead of keep.
ing It in case? I'll tell you, stranger, il
you'll wait until I've given this lady her
camphor and rolled up porous plaster fol
that little girl
Look at the ring as much as you like.
They tell me it would bring lot of money
at museum. Perhaps I'll sell it some day.
u..dates back to sixteen something, and it's
IN italian ring. See the two lions claws
joined together. It's pretty handsome.
Do you see the old house up there on the
hill? It's the Hapgood Mansion. Forty
| years ago. I'm an old man, as you see,
and l remember III forty years ago, An
drew Hapgood lived there He was a
widower, with one son. ca man of thirty,
who resided abroad aud no one thought
he would ever marry again but he did, and
his choice was a young woman who, in due
lime, brought him three children. They
were all boys, and it was pretty plain that
he father was very fond of them, and
shat the lions share of the property would
be theirs, and that the Oldest son would be
obliged to content himself with what would
be left after the step-mother and her chill
dren had been we'll cared for.
That is anticipating little, you will say /;
but old Mr.. Hapgood had most uncertain
health, and was in his bed week in and week
out, and the doctor sent for, and the minister
sent for, and the local paper setting up his
obituary notice; and then up again, and as
| good as ever for week or two, and down
again. So people couldn't be blamed fol
talking of his will and his heirs--though,
confess, it does seem ghoulish. However,
he died at last, and the son came home to
his funeral. When first saw him he wore
that ring ON his finger.
He was handsome man, who appeared
to have good deal of feeling, and he took
the will very quietly. He accepted his por-
ton, which was small, aud stayed on, to
mike visit at the homestead.
Her step-mother was not very warm in
her manner to him; but he came, as we all
said, at q very sad time, and couldn't ex,
pect her to be talkative and agreeable
And he had his own way about the place
and the children grew fond of him. II,
used to play about with them, and tell then
stories, and row them in his boat on the
lake.
One day he persuaded his step-mother to
go, too. happened to be near the little
dock rs they came in, and saw him take
her pretty little hand In his TO hand her
ashore. As he did it she gave little cry
And he said
What is the matter, mamma % as
gently as mother could speak to her baby
think wasp must have stung me Oh
the hand" she said, looking at her palm.
g Yes, " he said, there goes one.n
He struck in the air with his handker
chief, and expressed himself in murderoul
terms about all wnsps, and took his oart
and put them in the boat-house and follow.
ed his step-mother up the path. She walk
ed ON looking at her palm, and now and
then shaking her hand as II to cool it; but
wasp's sting is always painful, and only
called TO tha- youngest boy To tell him 10
tell his mother to put ammonia on it.
That night they sent for me; but when
| saw her hand swollen aud black sent 70,
| the most celebrated doctor knew ut hand
| We did our best, but before morning ths
poor lady was dead.
AT the inquest the step-son gave his testi.
mony. He told the exact TRUTH could
testify to that, and the verdict was that the
lady died of the sting of q wasp. They
| buried her, and her share Of the money was
divided amongst her children. Lawrence
Hapgood made nothing by his step-mother's
death but as he was there to care for the
little boys, the trustees left them all in the
Did house. And n year went by without
any event, when one night my bell rang
violently, and answering it, l saw the old
bousekeeper from Hapgood house on my
doorstep.
Come quick Come quick, Doctorl"
said she. Pm afraid poor Louis is going
the same way his mother did. spider bi!
him ON the neck. Come !"
didn't stop for hat or for my boots.
ran bare-headed and In my slippers, but the
child was dying when got to the house.
His neck and face all swollen, and mark
ike bite just under his ear.
Again there was an inquest, and testi-
nony was given that the children were
playing with their elder brother at game
of cards. Louis had won the game,
and was boosting of II when he said some-
thing ran into me" and fainted. Mr.. Law
renee Hapgood had seen a great spider
crawling away, and had crushed it with his
foot.
The remains Of the insect was still to be
seen ON the floor. 1t was of yenomous
kind. A verdict was given accordingly.
The great doctor I have spoken of dc.
clared that there must have been something
in the constitutions Of Mrs. Hapgood and
her boy that rendered them peculiarly
liable to blood poisoning; and when talk
ed it over with the the housekeeper she
said she supposed it was SO.
Mr.. Lawrence, she said, was most kind
TO his step-brothers and had patted Louis
on the back when he won the game Of
cards.
g It's a lesson in mathematics, he said
the best could give you--that game"
And Just then Louis screamed aloud, and
Mr. Lawrence saw tho spider, as, indeed,
| all did.
That was when my first suspicion crept
into my mind. But the property now be-
Ionged to the two smallest boys, not to Mr..
Lawrence; and they were young enough te
be his children; and still he was theii
friend and protector, trying to comfort
them. and taking them to church every
Sunday, where his responses were very loud
and his devout manner greatly admired by
the ladies'. And I'd never have breathed a
word of what thought il that had been
the end Of 1t, but 1t was not. One May
day little Freddy died.
He had been fishing and came In Shrek
| ing with pain. Something had bitten him.
There was the mark OF the bite over his
ankle. Little James, the last Of the lot,
| gave his testimony. Brother Fred was on
the wall, and there were things fyinf
| about, and Lawrence came up and said:
g Come, lad; next we know you'll get s
n. Al