Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-08-20
The Stpru Teller.
OR
T'OTHER"


It was not only the first to be established
at Cedar Hill, but the only one for 200
miles around, and we were inclined to
look upon the druggist with awe and
respect. We were very healthy lot
up there, and, aside from accident, no
man had lost u day for six months.
No sooner was that drugstore opened
for business, however, than most of US
felt yealning. Hiram Davis hit the
nail on the head when he said to the
crowd:
"Boys, that drugstore reminds me OF
home and of the old woman and chill
dren. Jest think Of pills and salts and
calomel and quinine! Civilizashun has
come knockin' at our doors, and it's our
solemn dooty to feel bad and buy SUM-
thin'!'
Now, some Of us began to "feel bad"
but when we came to buying something
we found that the druggist was doing
business on line Of his own. When Abe
Smallman dropped in to get dose OF
calomel for his liver, which was doing
business seven days in the week and
in no need of any encouragement OF
any sort, Mr.. Davis said to him:
II bought this drugstore outfit OF
tenderfoot down at Grass Valley. He
was sick and discouraged and wanted
to 20 back home. l don't know much
about the business myself. I'll hunt
up the calomel and sell it to you. but l
won't be responsible for the results"
"What dye mean by the results"
queried Abe.
"Well, I've got calomel, arsenic. salts
and q lot of other things mixed up
here and I'm not going to guarantee
anything. Mebbe it'll be calomel and
mebbe not"
We all SHE'D off for day or two at
that, but when We came to think 1t over
we rather liked the uncertainty, and
the druggist was kept busy with our
purchases. Some of his liquids and
powders were in bottles or papers, duly
labeled, and some Of the powders were
In parcels without label on them. II
anybody asked for epson salts, for IN.
stance, the druggist would fish around
under the heap of boots and shoes and
clothing till he got hold Of box or
parcel, and. bringing it out he would
say:
"All know about this stuff Is that 1t
amt copperas. took a parcel OF cop
peras on q debt once, and so | know
the stuff when l see it. If you want
to run chances, you can take it along"
Most everybody was willing to run
chances, and for two weeks all went
we'll. If nobody was made any better,
nobody was made any worse, and the
druggist did a rushing trade. Then
came an afternoon on which old Joe
Crosby laid down his working tools
and announced that he was "of his
feed" and had got to have something
to ward off bilious attack.
81 can't say what's good for It," said
the druggist. "but I'll fish up lot OF
packages, and you can take your
choice"
He laid out ten parcels on the coun-
ter, and old Joe wet the tip Of his
finger and tasted the contents of each
in succession. He finally found one to
suit his palate ut least. and he bought
dollars worth and went off to his
shanty to dose. Half an hour later he
was taken with violent cramps, and In
side of two hours he was dead. A
thn Ir,ryOicf h11t
the smiling and urbane Mr.. Davis re-
piled:
Gentlemen, it might have been pow
dered borax or it might have been ar
senic. | can't tell the difference be-
tween the two, and have been free to
say so. l gave him good weight, and
he took his chances"
Our purchases were light for the
next week, but in time we got over the
scare and went to buying again. A
fortnight after the death Of Crosby q
man named Healy was made terrible
sick for two or three days by dose OF
some unknown stuff. and the next day
Sile Warner entered the drugstore to
say:
II amt feelin' jest as I orter, and /
want sunthin to brace me up. Kin ys
recommend bracerW
II never recommend" was the reply.
Here's the bottles and here's the
packages. They may brace or they may
lay you out"
"Waal, this is q world Of chance"
continued Sile as he paved the stuff
over, land I'll take dollars wuth of
this stuff in the bottle. It'll wet the
throat when 1t goes down anyway"
The stuff was probably laudanum,
for Sile never woke up from that
nights sleep. His chum went over to
give the druggist fits about the matter,
but Mr.. Davis headed him off with:
Dead. eh? Sorry to hear it, but he
took his chances. | will now label that
bottle Poison and should any Of you
wish to ask to commit suicide you will
know what to ask for"
We tried to brace up after the second
calamity and were gradually getting
our confidence back when man nam
ed Grimshaw got something for chills.
The druggist wouldn't recommend 1t,
as usual, but it had been marked by
the tenderfoot as "Good For Chills."
1t proved to be. One dose removed Mr..
Grimshaw from this chilly world, and
over his grave we held a public meet
ing and whereased:
II bein' only a question Of time when
our drugstore will kill Off every man In
Cedar HILL and
Whereas We owe a dooty to ourselves
| and them as has gone; now, tharfore.
Resolved. That one or t'other Of US has
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