The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-08-18
'PoTHEcARY's FOLLY.

AhO SOuutKy toWh Va WcA1y AOAo
was early in the century the scene OF
the spasmodic effort of local patriot
ism, which, perhaps. only owes it's sur.
vival to the need of a historic fact to
mark that such patriotism ever ex-
listed.
A wealthy apothecary, being per-
staded that d certain spring in the
heishborhood contained all the prin-
cipal ingredients OF the pharmaco.
ppia, built bathhouse on q scale
that should have proclaimed to far
and near the natural attractions Of
Twentyford. Having done so he slept
with his fathers, and his heirs and as.
signs were left to discover that it
takes other ingredients besides those
OF chemical nature to assure therep'
htation of d spa.
The apothecary had travelled, and
in so doing had acquired e taste for
Moorish architecture. The bath
house profted by many a
tninaret. But he was also OF
frugal mind. and having
launched out in an unwonted
indulgence of his favorite tastes in
design, it became necessary to steer
his course somewhat differently in
the matter of the intended material,
which he changed from stone to wood,
painted dull red for the sake of q
"rich and quiet effect" The result
did not appeal as it might have done
to the minds of the inhabitants, who
ungratefully styled it "Pothecary g
Folly"
That solitary bathhouse, however,
was to become the scene of one
strange event i'll the commonplace
history OF the town.
The cider apples were red on the
trees, the hop gatherers singing in
their loaded wagons, and q whole.
some smell OF brewing in the air lent
an additionally hospitable and com.
Portable feeling to our usually COM
Portable county on the morning in
qestion, which rose. as like it's fellows
as nature could make it, when Tween.
tyford awoke, hearing q rumor, prick.
ed its ears, rubbed its eyes, and listen
ing again discovered that q shabby
and unobtrusive French woman had
been murdered in one OF the bath
rooms of the "Folly."
She was sort of amateur CONNER
cial traveller who sold French flowers
to shops and had passed the previous
night at small inn in the town
She had been heard to complain o!
"the rheumatism" being. as the land
lady said. "about the only Christian
thing she had said"
But she had proceeded to cure her
ailment by bath in the saline spring.
an act which the worthy landlady
would by no means have approved
Perhaps it was the commercial failure
and general neglect by the great world
of the "Foily," which had brought
the springs into such discredit that
every inhabitant who respected him.
self would have endured the racking
and,twinging OF every joint rather than
have recourse to the baths. Perhaps
so, greater minds are influenced by
like considerations. Anyhow, the
woman died-what else could one
expect?" My amt and !, quiet folks
as rule, even for Twentyford, were
mixed up in it, in SO far as
there was but the length of Pear.
street between US when the pris.
oner was apprehended. We saw
but the backs OF the only two police.
men for miles round, and (how they
came to be there at that moment nc
one knowsD with something or some.
body between them, and were told
that we should receive subpoena as
witnesses. TO my aunt this informa-
ton was full of terror. my DEAR"
she said, IL shall never forget how
your poor uncle's nerves were upset
by the unprincipled young counsel
who examined him about that most
disagreeable soap boiling business.
He said-your poor uncle, I mean
that we were inundated by 'bluebot.
ties from the Notwithstanding works,
and they asked him ii he was quite
sure it was not black bottles or bran.
dy bottles he meant, and, if 80, where
in they differed from bluebottle?
Disgraceful treatment it was, and
what we had suffered from these in
sects no one knows! l think. E!lice,
we will just turn into Skaters for
that pink ribbon l wanted; we may
perhaps hear what really has hap
pened."
Mr.. Slater said "the prisoner was g
young lady of 'prepossessing ap
pearance,' it was thought, by one Of
his young ladies' that perhaps the
prisoner was flower hartis," too,
and that perhaps professional jeal.
ousy afforded a motive for the crime,
but the opinion did not find favor;
the "young lady" ranked profession
al zeal at a Economically high figure.
We gathered at last that the police
had taken her up because there was
no one else to take up-a very suffi.
Gent reason; that is to say, no one
whom they had not "known from a
baby" and were therefore able to
vouch for anything they might do or
say in reason OF course, ''gettin' bit
lively Saturday nights. burning ricks,
breaking into shops, &c., 'but this
ere amt reasonable" The police
were probably right, they had not
Imagination enough for the kind ol
crime.
The police had been summoned, in
stantly too. it appeared, by the cries
of tho attendant" who unaccus.
toned to duty in that capacity, had
returned-soon after admitting the
murdered woman to the bathroom
from the washtub, which habitually
claimed her attention in her own cot.
tage.
Astonished at the silence which
greeted the application of her ear to
the keyhole, she opened the door,
which was guiltless of lock or bolt,
and found the unfortunate woman ly-
ing on the floor with her throat cut,
and '.queer big knife lying beside Of
her, and all her rattle traps and them
big red and yellow flowers out OF her
pack all strewn about: Tor! bless ye,
they did flatter the material flowers,
they were that beautiful; thinks l to
myself she've killed herself sure, but
the Derlice Ollpht to see to it. 80