Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-09-24
LONE OR
T'OTHER !"

AfANAc hB1ErtAit WAS VII ANIkNNAtFIts
II was not only the first 10 be established
ut 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 a very healthy lot
up there. and. aside from accident. no
man had lost a day for six months.
No sooner was that drugstore opened
for business. however, than most Of MS
felt yearning Hiram Davis hit the
nail on the head when be said 10 the
crowd:
Boys. that drugstore reminds mo of
home and OF the old woman and chill
dren. jest think OF pills and salts and
calomel and qulninel Civilizashun has
come knockin' at our doors, and it's our
solemn dooty to feel bad and buy sun
thin'r'
Now. some OF us began TO "feel bad"
but when we came 10 buying something
we found that the druggist was doing
business on line Of his own. When Abe
Smsllman dropped In to get a 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, MFR. Davis said 10 him:
Il bought this drugstore outfit OF
tenderfoot down at Grass Valley. He
was sick and discouraged and wanted
TO so back home. l don't know much
about the business myself. III hunt
up the calomel and sell II to you, but I
won't be responsible for the results"
what dye mean by the results?"
qnericd Abe.
We'll, rye got calomel, arsenic. salts
and a lot of other things mixed mp
here. and I'm not going to guarantee
anything. Mebbe it'll be calomel and
mehbe not"
| We all SHE'D of for a day or two at
| that, bat when we came 10 think IL 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. IL
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 II out. he would
say:
"All I know about this stuff is that IT
Amt copperas. took parcel Of cop
| peraS on debt once, and so ] know
the stuff when see 1t. If you want
TO run chances. you can take It along"
Most everybody was willing to run
chances, and for two weeks ali went
/ well. II nobody was made any better,
/ nobody was made any worse, and the
| druggist did Il rushing trade. Then
/ came an afternoon on which old Joe
/ Crosby laid down his working tools
| and announced that he was "or his
feed and had got to have something
I to ward off bilious attack.
/ II can't say what's good for IL" said
the druggist, but I'll fish up lot OF
packages. and you can take your
I choice"
| He laid ont ten parcels on the coun-
/ ter, and old Joe wet the tip OF his
I finger and tasted the contents OF each
In succession. He finally found one to
suit his palate at least, and he bought
dollars worth and went of to his
( shanty 10 dose. Half an hour later he
was taken with violent cramps, and in
I side OF two hours he was dead 4
/ move was made on the druggist, but
| the smiling and urbane Mr.. Davis re-
| piled:
Gentlemen. IL might have been pow
dered borax or IL might have been ar
s $alt
/ tween the two, and have been free to
say so. ! 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
| 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 Orter and
| want sunthin to brace me up. Kin ye
| recommend u bracerP
| Il never recommend" was the reply.
Here's the bottles and here's the
| packages. They may brace or they may
| hay you out"
| "Waal, this is world of chance"
| continued Siie as he paved the stuff
| over, and I'll take a dollars wuth OF
| this stuff In the bottle. It'll wet the
/ throat when II goes down anyway"
The stun was probably laudsnum,
| for Sile never woke up from that
| nights sleep. His chum went over TO
give the druggist hts about the matter,
but Mr.. Davis headed him OF with:
Dead, Ell? 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 10 brace up after the second
calamity and were gradually getting
our confidence back when a man nam
ed Grimshaw got something for ehills.
i The druggist wouldn't recommend it.
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