The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-02-14
"Dr. Hood ?" suggested Mrs. Nor

r1S.
"No; 1 wonder if it's recommend
ed for failing memory? Don't you
ever indulge in bitter?"
II take the bitter with the sweet
sometimes.
"Ah, very good, very good: Doc
tor, doctor"
"Dr. Jay's?"
Exactly; a thousand thanks. I
haven't any faith in these quack
things myself, but Lizzie likes to try
everything it gives her something to
think about. By the way, 1 hear it
originated in this place, and there's
been money made on it. Just get up
a patent medicine, I tell Lizzie, and
you may drive your four-in- hand !;
but she doesn't fancy that sort of dis
tinction, don't you know?"
Perhaps it's better than extinc-
tion," laughed Mrs. Morris.
Yes, yes here's Mortar & Pes
ties; I'll step in before I forget it. !"
And so it began to be whispered
about that DR.. Jays Bitters were
home-brewed the subject was touch
ed upon at society meetings, in morn
ing calls, on the church porch, and
even in the gentlemen's debating
club. Mrs. Bert begged Mrs. Grew
not to say that it came from her, and
that lady retailed it to her next
neighbor with the same precaution.
Many of those who had used the Bit
ters were provoked to find that they
had been fostering home talent, and
began to question if they had receiv-
ed any benefit from them after all |;
other stoutly refused to believe that
Bradford had been capable of evolving
such tonic from its inner conscious
ness but these were the classes of
people who would doubt that the
electric light illuminated, if it had
originated in their neighborhood.
And you mean to say that a wo-
man started and owns the bitters?"
questioned Mrs. Bruce, one of its
warmest adherents.
"Well, 1 did think it helped me
about my rheumatism, but it must
have been the medicated flannel"
Having unraveled two-thirds of the
enigma, the good people of Bradford
bent their intellects to solving the
whole.
CDR. Jays Bitters were a happy
thought" the clerk at Mortar and
Pestle's was saying to Rob Marquand,
as young Spencer dropped in for
glass of soda.
They say Mrs. Morris has made
her fortune out of them"
"Who says so?" asked Rob.
Haven't you heard? She's been
mighty sly, and small blame to her
Nobody wants to be pointed out as
the woman who makes your bitters.
DIR. Morris, it seems, left a recipe
which he used to make for his pa
tients when there wasn't much allied
didn't know which way to turn, Mrs.
Morris put it into the hands of man
ufacturer on the halves. But it ISM t
everybody, you know, who would
feel proud to shoulder patent medi-
icine upon the public; it isn't aristo-
cratic. You wouldn't want bunch
of herbs for your crest. You wouldn't t
want to marry into the family"
"I don't know about that" said
Rob; "but I don't think any one ex-
poets you to do it."
Mr.. Spencer was on his way to
visit Patty, put he turned about in
order to reflect. He did not object to
marry without money, and rather
plumed himself upon the fact, since
he had enough. But what the clerk
at Mortar and Pestle's had said was
quite true; one did not care to mar
ry into family made famous by DIR.
Jays Bitters. And, therefore, the
perfumed note which Patty received
the next week read:
"My Dear Patty Il promised my
mother once, in the days when I be-
lieved no woman would ever touch
my heart, that 1 would never marry
without her consent. Having told
her of our engagement she refuses to
sanction it; and /, cruelty staid, leave
it to you to say if I shall keep my vow
to her or follow my own sweet will /?
ALWAYS your lover,
paul SPENCER.
"The bitters haven't agreed with
him." said Lena, when Patty broke
the news.
"Oh, yes" said Anita, they have
cured him."
Of course there was but one reply
possible, and Patty sent it. He
never could have loved me-" she
sighed mournfully, "or the patent
medicine could have made no differ
ence."
"He never could have loved as Rob
loves you," Lena ventured.
Rob :"
eyes, Rob. The bitters make no
difference with him"
"Inever thought it. But shall
never marry now.'' And Patty
thought she was quite sincere. But
perhaps there is nothing more sooth-
ing to the lacerated feelings of a jilt-
ed woman than the existence of an
other lover in the background.
1t was year and half later when
Rob brought Patty a foreign letter
from the evening mail. He had start
ed on an errand of his own, and wait
ed with beating heart while she read
the pages, fearing that he had come
on FOOLS errand after all.
I'M any waters cannot quench
love-" wrote Mr.. Spencer, "and al
though put the Atlantic between us
in obedience to my mothers will, /
have never ceased to regret. Moth
ing shall ever come between us again,
meim Ae6ling,. the happiness of life
time is not to be weighed in the bal
ance with stupid uncoDsidered prom
ice cho11 1oovya for t,,ar;oo -, tl1a