Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-03-29
A CLOSE CALL"

u remember Of once having a very mar
row escape from death; and the recollection
is always forced strongly upon me when
ever am trile i'll and feel the need Of
medicine"
Thus said my companion as we drew our
chairs little nearer to the large round
stove that occupied the center of the wait
ing room of a small station house at june
ton on the - railroad.
IL WAS in midwinter, and heavy fall Of
snow that day had drilted into a deep cut
a number of miles down the road, so that
the train we were both intending to take
was very much delayed In fact, it was
scarcely possible to say just how long we
were doomed to wait in that little coop Of
a station house. Luckily there was only
che two Of us, for any number would have
r. found poor accommodations, both as TO
food-a little Of which was furnished us by
she station man-and the seating and heat
ing capacity Of the place
II was just growing night, and my com
panion in afiliction-who, by the way, had
Travelled extensively and thus learned to
take unavoidable circumstances with a
very easy and philosophical spirit-had
lighted another cigar and thrown open the
stove door, in order, as he said, ito put as
much life on the scene as possible"
The fire burned briskly and from the
open door there came "A long, diverging
CLEAN Of light, which fell directly upon the
eountenance of my friend, seeming to deep
en- the burrows, yet at the same time cover
ing all with an appearance of composure.
| therefore assumed an easy posture
considering the hard, time worn chair oc
eupied-and looking at the features Of the
narrator | listened while he gave me this
experience:
| had charge Of the CO trade that year
for the firm | am still with, and was there
fore pretty well acquainted with all the
druggists and with many Of their clerks.
r 1t was at time Of the year when bust
ness was unusually brisk, and found that
] sometimes had no small amount of extra
work to do. For instance, upon this par
ticular occasion had been asked by the
4. house to run out 10 a small suburban place
on an important matter, and yet l had
pledged certain Of the trade to see them on
that day; and therefore | found it consid-
erably past dark, and raining coldly, when
got back TO The city.
1t is not very eXhilarating TO ones spirits
TO think OF starting right out and making
four or five places-iavolving as many
d
and, moreover, in such weather, when
you're mighty tired. aud about half sick in
the bargain. But the firm depended on me-
and was bound to cover the ground.
So, without even taking my supper,
Jumped into a cab and directed the driver
TO the first point on my route.
After turning this way and shat and
splashng through mud for half an hour,
, the driver pulled up before the blue and red
lights Of a corner drug store.
! soon transacted my business and was
just about leaving, when, having a hearty
acquaintance with the clerk, and at that
particular moment suffering some extra
pangs i'm my stomach, | said:
Charlie put me up about half an ounce
of hydrocholic acid. Pm sometimes troubled
with my stomach-some sort Of dyspepsia,
: guess-and find that few drops of the
acid help me better than anything else
can use"
He went about preparing the medicine,
while we continued a running conversation
He was quite fellow 10 talk, aud as we
were alone in the store he gave himself a
free line
/ took the small bottle be handed me,
placed ii in my pocket, and again started
on my rounds.
1t was almost 10 O'Clock when L reached
my last stopping place, and as it was but
block distant from my house dismissed
my cab and went into the store.
Finding no one present but a new clerk
only remained a moment, being too desir-
Gus Of finding warmth and rest for my cold
and weary frame.
Stepping out into the storm buttoned
my coat snugly about me and started on
Glow run for my residence.
had done maybe half the distance when
was startled by loud cries coming from
come point in the darkness Ghead Of me. !
stopped, and thon there came TO my ears:
- "Cabl cabl Holdi For God g sake, cabr'
could see the light from the cab had
just discharged about a block down the
dark avenue, and peering again through
tho blackness ] could discover that the
drivers attention had been attracted blythe
call and that he had refined in his horse.
oall some one wanting to 90 down town
Itboussist. and yet the peculiarly pleading
character and evident fright Of tbeSe tosss
did pcs learo me.
vat %. however. but had only GOV.