The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-02-04
Kind Hearted Druggist.

banquet OF the National W hOleSale
Druggists Association at it's recent
meeting in Washington, and in re-
turn for his dinner related the fol-
lowing story, given in the Pharma-
ceWticdi Era:
"About thousand years ago, ap-
proximately, was apprenticed ns "a
printers's devil to learn the trade,
in common with three other boys of
about my own age. There came to
the village a long-lcgged individu-
al of about nineteen, from one ofthe
interior counties; fish-eyed, no ex-
preston, and without the suggest
ion of n smile-couIdn't have smiled
for salary. We took him for a
fool, and thought we would try to
scare him to death. We went to
the village druggist and borrowed
a slzelcton The skeleton didn't
belong to the druggist, but he had
imported it for the village doctor,
because the doctor thought he would
send away forit, having some delica-
cy about using-( Laughter The
price of the skeleton at that time was
$50. l don't know how high they go
now, but probably higher, on ac-
count of the tariff. (Laughter.)
We borrowed the skeleton about 9
o'clock at night, and we got this
man-Nicodemus Dodge was his
name-we got him down town, out
of the way, and then we put the
skeleton in his bed. He lived in a
little one storied log cabin in the
middle of vacant lot. We left
him to get home by himself. We
enjoyed the result in the light of
anticipation; but by and by we be-
gan to drop into silence; the posi-
BILE consequences were preying upon
us. Suppose that it frightens him
into madness, overturns his reason
and sends him screeching through
the streets! We shall spend sleep
less nights the rest of our days.
Everybody was afraid. By and by
it was forced to the lips of one of us
that We had better 90 at once and
see what had happened. Loaded
down with crime, we approached
that hut and peeped through the
window. That long-legged critter
was sitting on his bed with hunk
of ginger bread in his hand, and
between the bites he played a tune
on a jcws-harp. There he sat per-
fectly happy, and all around him on
the bed were toys and jim. cracks
and striped candy. The darn cuss,
he had gone and sold that skeleton
for S5. Naughter.) The drug
gist's fifty dollar skeleton was gone
We went in tears to the druggist
and explained the matter. We
couldn't have raised that $50 in $50
years. We were getting board and
clothing for the first year, clothing
and board for the second year and
both of them for the third year.
But the druggist forgave us on the
spot, but he said he would like us to
let him have our skeletons when we
were done with them. There
couldn't be anything fairer than
that; we spouted our skeletons and
went away comfortable. But from
that time the druggists prosperity
ceased. That was one of the most
unfortunate speculations he ever
went into. After some years one of
the boys went and got drowned;
that was one skeleton gone, and l
tell you the druggist felt pretty
badly about it. A few years after
another of the boys went up in
balloon. He was to get s5 an hour
for it. When he gets back they
will be owing him 100000. The
druggists property was decreasing
right along. After few more
years the third boy tried an expert
ment to see if a dynamite charge
would go. Invent, all right. They
found some of him, perhaps a vest
pocketful; still it was enough to
show that some more of that estate
had gone. The druggist was get
ting along in years, and he COM
menced to correspond with me. l
have been the best correspondent
he has. He is the sweetest-natured
man l ever saw; always mild and
polite, and never wants to hurry me
at all. get letter from him every
now and then and he never refers
to my form as a skeleton; says,
well, how is it getting along-is it
in good repair l got a night-rate
message from him recently-said
he was getting old and the property
was depreciating In value, and if
could let him have a part of it now