The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-04-19
"a DRUGGISTS YARN.

| Lalr ID a1iuosb Wuibo, ne Hllu Wneu Nc u
last consented to relate few Of his OK
periences for The Post. "Bnt the drul
business Is in many ways trying one.
often wake In the night dreaming that
have poisoned some unfortunate by mis-
take. When first began to COMPOUND
prescriptions, was very nervous about tn,
oomponents, and would look ut bottl
| several times before using It's contents, ant
| when finished would go all over them Il
make sure that was correct. Upon on,
occasion became so anxious that, having
carefully prepared a prescription and giveI
1t to a lady, FASTENED after her and tool
away the bottle under the pretext that Il
was the wrong one, and throwing 1t out
of the window made up the medicine al
over again. Well, WE'LL that was over long
ago. believe 1t would have killed me If
had made mistake. But never did. Sc
gradually became more confident, and
now my own nerves, as well as dangerous
drugs, are under my control.
Eyes. A man In my calling does hold q
good many secrets In his keeping, fancy
that has helped to age me. The problem
of ones own individual existence is suf.
6oient tax on the mentality without plung.
Ing into the great maelstrom Of human
life"
"Do you ever feel your collection of 9th.
or peoples skeletons to be dangerous as
well as heavy burdenH"
"No," he answered, II never think Of
that except perhaps in my dreams. No
doubt there are number Of irreproachablo
ladies and gentlemen who will sigh with
relief when they see my name in the death
column. Nevertheless this is n civilized
country and man is creature of habit
81 began life as physician" no con-
tinued, "but had neither capital nor in
fluence, and SO came to grief. then took
a situation as drug clerk, in which capac-
ity managed to save enough after few
years to take small store on the out.
skirts Of the city and set up for myself. 1t
was at this period Of my life that the ex-
periences am about to relate occurred.
The neighborhood where found my
self was semifashionable, and I did fairly
we'll The first scene in one of the most in
teresting real life dramas have ever wit
messed took place on q lovely June even
ing.
"a beautiful boy, apparently about IS
or 10 years of age, entered my shop and
asked me to sell him u very small quantity
of an extremely insidious poison.
Il want 1t to mix up with some other
stuff to kill insects, he explained, with
sweet smile. IN take out patent some
day and make my fortune. I'm no end of
= chemist.
"He wanted so little Of the drug that I
could see no harm in giving 1T to him.
While l was wrapping the tiny parcel l
looked curiously at my customer, for 1t is
seldom you see SO beautiful youth There
was something odd about his expression.
When he smiled, his shapely lips parted
over rows Of pearly teeth, but though the
lines about his mouth were sweet, the effect
was not altogether pleasant, because his
eyes widened suddenly and shot out tiger
ish CLEAN, half mocking, half cruel, that
was as extraordinary as it was transitory
But the popularity that struck me most
forcibly was the small, we'll poised head
and the delicacy of the profile of the tiny,
shell-like ear as he stood outlined against
the red sunset light that flowed through
my western window. I also observed a
mole that set off the whiteness of his throat
about half way to his low collar.
could get that pretty boy out of my head
On the third morning read in tho papers
an account Of the sudden death (probably
Of heart failure) Of prominent gentleman
who had recently taken up his residence in
the city. The reporter who wrote up the
tragedy told pathetically about the grief of
the young widow, who had been devoted to
her husband, despite the fact that he was
good many years her senior.
ut was quite by accident that went to
the inquest A friend of mine, happening
in, asked me to accompany him, and for
want of better employment went.
1.-The afternoon was waning when the
beautiful young widow took the stand to
testify. A murnur Of sympathy and ad.
miratlon greeted her as she made her an
swers in low, sweet voice. AS she spoke
the ghost Of forgotten music seemed to fill
the room. l was strangely reminded Of
I could not tell just what The coroner
spoke few words of coincidence and regret
that he should be forced to question her.
AS he did so faint suggestion of a smile
fitted across her lips, and at the same time
her eyes widened and CLEAN shot forth,
as though the blinds that guarded those
windows of her soul had been for o moment
raised disclosing the inward fire. The ex-
preston was gone in u breath, but my
heart was beating rapidly, for the Elusive
memory had come over me more strongly
than before. Who was this woman, and
of what did she remind me2' asked my
self, My question was almost miraculously
answered. for just then the sun, which had
been behind clouds all day, made up his
mind to show his countenanCe for space
before retiring, and, suddenly emerging,
lit the sky gloriously, throwing his beams
full upon the western window, against
which the black robed figure of the young
widow stood outlined
''This association of ideas was sufficient.
Whether without it should ever have req
ognized her cannot say, but I saw it oil
then. Tho delicate profile, which was turn
cd toward ME, the well poised head and
pretty, tiny ear, even tho mole became WIS.,
iblea she raised her chin in replying rath-
er haughtily to some inquiry.
"Afterward I made private investiga-
tions among my business oonfreres and
succeeded in finding two who remembered
being visited by beautiful boy on Ger
tain lovely nighs in Juno. From each no
had purchased an infnitesimal quantity Of
@ particularly insidious drug used to kill
inseots-and other things"
odd no one elSe suspect herr"
off they did, they never made their sus-
picions public" no replied. "If half of
the crimes committed in this desperate old
world camo to light the criminoiogists
would be forced to the conclusion that only
tho good people are abnormal Washing.
ton Post.
A Good Clew,