The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-01-20
LOVE AND POISON.


fine income, the result Of long years Of
practice, very successful too, In a med
ical point Of view, and being bachelor
loves to gather such Of his old cronies as
time has spared about him, unawed by
the presence Of petticoats or the domi-
neering Of grown up children, whose
rapid modern views are intolerant of old
fashioned ways, and who, although they
do not express 1t in so many words, show
that they are weary waiting the indie
pendence and power that money brings,
and which they know must be their por-
tion when hand and brain that patiently
gathered it are hidden away in the earth,
with their lying griefs cut in the cold
and repnlsive graveyard marble.
One night the doctor and a few Of his
gray cronies were gathered around the
blaze Of his fireplace, in his sohdly com
Portable sitting room, comparing notes
on q case OF strychnine poisoning that
had startled the town. From this special
theme they drifted away to a general
discussion Of the peculiarities of poisons
and then to poisoners, those who pur-
sued the dreadful trade Of poisoning
others for lucrative gain or place or
power, in ages gone by. The doctor Of
divinity WAS especially well versed in all
of the horrible cases Of poisoning by the
Borgias OF olden days, especially that
far famed prelate, Cesare Borgia, who,
as many historians allege, in CONJUNCTION
with his father, conoocted the plan Of
poisoning four Of the wealthiest cardi-
mails at an evening party in the Villa
Corneto; but by mistake the poison,
which was mixed with wine, was ad-
ministered to Alexander vi and Cesare
himself, But Cesare was saved, having
partaken Of but little Of the drugged
wine All the rest died. Then Cesare
seized upon the papal treasures, but was
afterwar1 overthrowD and banished
1t would seem from what the reverend
gentleman advanced that he believed
that everybody connected with thenoble
classes in those far back days were pois-
oners, and that every ambitious man or
woman made his or her way to power
through the medium Of the poison cup.
And then, a natural sequence TO the
process Of reasoning indulged III by the
cloth, he laid all the blame upon the
theological tenets entertained BY the
people in those days, drawing from one
Of the retired merchants present the
cynical observation, How strangely
like a woman the average Clergyman
reasonsln
Whereat all present, inclusive Of the
good natured clergymanhimse laughed
pleasantly, while the latter continued IN
his hit and miss observations, He was
satisfied from his reading that as a rule
poisoning was originally confined among
the higher classes Of society, and from
this he drew the hoinily that as a rule
adversely drew families closer together
than prosperity; he was positive that
adversely drew friends together with
hooks of steel.
When ambition stepped in the hooks
Of steel that bound friends together re-
taxed their grip, jealousies were TO-
,nented and the glitter Of gold dried the
dewy eye Of friendship. He did not
think, barring insanity, that case Of
poisoning ever occurred among people
In humble life. He had yet to hear Of
such an instance. Talk as you will, be
asserted, the humber classes are the
closest to God and are the most obedient
10 his will.
DR.. Baird, who had his eye bent upon
the fire while the not unpleasantly vol
dble clergyman was talking, looked up
Us he closed and said; "One Of your con-
GLIDING remarks somehow reminds me
Of a strange case that came under my
observation while was in practice in
one Of the largest cities Of the United
States. "A watchInan was taken sud
denly i'll while pacing his beat at 9:30
o'clock In the morning. and was carried
home.
1.-THE nearest physician, myself as it
happened to be, was hurriedly called,
and Fastening thither found the man
In great distress, Administering some
thing to alleviate his pains, came to