The herald., 1894-04-15
PATTERSON & DASH.
"a STORY by J. u. euscN.l

Patterson & Dash were no longer part
nere. Patterson kept up the business
at the old stand and Dash started a new
store across the way. "Groceries and
General Merchandise" glared at each
other across the street instead OF being
mingled in mutual confidence and love.
The clerks in each establishment kept
on their own side of the street for sew
eral blocks before they arrived at their
propAr stands. OF the clerks who had
belonged to the joint tsblishments some
sided with Patterson and some with
Dash, and they also became enemies.
Some OF the patrons of the old firm now
dealt with Patterson and thus joined
the Patterson faction, others sided with
Dash and became of the Dash faction.
Some wisely kept their accounts from
either aud thereby managed to Temain
the friends OF both. ws
The woret enemies in the world are
former friends and the longer the friend
ship the worse the enmity for the reason
that each knows more about the other.
As Patterson and Dash had been life
long friends it is quite natural that each
knew the other pretty well. Under these
circumstances the best way for both
would have been to keep up dignified
and respectable enmity, sort OF, know
great deal il was not too honorable
to tell, hostility but like the lawyers
in a bad divorce case, they went very
far into particulars and in short time
both Patterson and Dash were accounted
the most dishonest merchants in town.
Dash, to draw trade from Patterson,
gave out he had been obliged to keep a
constant watch on Patterson when they
were partners to see that be did not
water the molaeses and vinegar, and Pat
terson's plea to Dash's declaration was
that it had always been one of Dash's
weaknesses to mix different qualities of
goods to be sold as the fret grade, and
it had been a source OF great worry to
him, that he might sell some OF Dash's
mixed coffee, or granulated sugar mixed
with an inferior grade to the custom
ers who had been attracted to the store
solely on account of his known reputa-
tion FOR propfty. The customers assert
ed that they had found evidences of
truth in what both said. The grocery
trade was exposed, the people became
more critical when they purchased,
every groceryman in town turned away
his head in anger when he met Patter-
son or Dash for giving away trade &C.
crets; some left the trade in disgust and
the preacher gave a sermon on honesty
in trade.
When two asses get kicking at each
other, it ID not usual that either is hurt
much, but woe to him who gets between
the heels. Old Patterson had q son
named Anthony, called Tony for short,
and old Dash had daughter named
Eliza, generally called Liza. A warm
friendship had sprung up between the
two. and without any objection on the
part of either Patterson or Dash. Liza
was 16. and, II we take Tony's view of
her, We must endow her with the
beauties and graces of every noted
woman from Venus down to Mrs.
Langtry. Tony was 81, and no doubt
Liza thought him the accumulation
OF all the manly beauty and polish OF all
the noted men about town, from Apollo
to Ward McAllister. AS we hardly have
space to portray the young peoples
view OF each other, we refer the reader
to all the authors who have existed
from Homer down to the present, and
we will take the opinion of the town and
say that both were very we'll favored
and personable people, and after the
quarrel between Patterson and Dash, no
less than half a dozen gentlemen
dreamed golden dreams OF Miss Liza
and several young ladies smiled very
pleasantly on Tony. These were the
two who came in the range of the
kicking paters familiaa, which does not
mean asses, as some readers may sup
pose, bat only the head gentlemen OF
the house, who generally preserve quar-
reling ior their special perOgative.
LIZA and TNuv did u0f oocuaa o. ol
other of watering the molasses or mix
ing the sugar. Not at all. In fact.
while Tony WAS not brave enough to
face thB anger of Dash in the home of
the latter, he and Liza managed to have
pretty frequent interviews at the home
of a neutral, and it was a remarkable
coincidence that when Miss Liza took a
walk, which she loved 80 much, out to-
wards certain bridge, Tony also would
generally be taking the came walk.
This coincidence can perhaps be scien-
tifically explained by some of our young
people who have had obstinate parents.
One day Dash Senoirs himself hap
pened to be driving to deliver some
packages (his driver was sick or some
thing of the kind WAS the matter) when
he saw the two near the bridge. OF
course when they saw Dash, Tony COM
mouCou WhthIHk VOIy lhbb, hb IL Dc was
in great hurry, while Liza turned and
leisurely and csrelessiy walked back;
but Dash had seen enough. He was in
just such fury "a every respectable
father should be hen he discovers his
daughter walking with the son of his
enemy. When he came home st night
he was not long in making Liza &C.
quainted with his diapleasure.
Liza, how long has this sort OF thing
been going on?"
Papa, didn't you say that he is nice
young fellow? and think 30 too" re-
piled Eliza, sluding the question and
hlnshing.
bot, my child, would you disgrace
the family aud marry the aon OF your
fatHer's enemy? l once thought Patter-
Ecn was respectable, bat l have been
deceived, grossly deceived, and | have
no doubt that young Patterson ia viper
in disguise. Do not have any dealings
With that disgracsful Tony Patterson, or
you will bsihg my gray hairs in sorrow
TO the grave. Benjamin Dash, so people
say, 10 worth $40, 200, and as you are my
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