Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-05-28

he declares Ms name Is DrOnSOn ana
that he used to sell goods to Wex.
Of course, we'll let him think so. 1t
won't do any harm, poor fellow.
Well, drive up little. l want to
get my poor relative confined before
he grows more violent.
You'll stop at Ridgely store, driV-
er, and no nonsense !" shouted Bron-
son.
"Oh, sure l WILL" returned the
driver, winking good-naturedly at me.
"Nevins, I've a good mind to break
your neck for this trick. That man
really thinks I'm crazy"
"There-there, old fellow; Of
course you're not crazy-no, no-of
course not.
That set him off again and we had
whirled by Ridgely's store before he
knew it.
When he saw that We were really
headed for the asylum he made des-
perate efforts to get out of the hack,
but, having some forty pounds the
better of him in weight, l saw that he
didn't.
Bronson filled the air with curses,
but the hack was going so fast and
making so much noise that no one
could hear him, and after several in
efectual attempts to kick and bite he
lay limp beneath me.
Finally, we drew up at the gate Of
the asylum grounds and entered at a
slow trot.
"Who have you got2" heard an
attendant ask.
another buggy one, returned the
driver. "Gent inside III tell ye all
about it."
That was my cue, 80 I made my ex-
it, closing and fastening the door af-
ter me.
Bronson, pale and weak from the
jolting he had received, scrambled
unsteadily to his feet and looked fool.
ishly at US through the window.
That look was all the keeper need.
ed. It saved words and words Of ex-
planation. All said was:
GA patient from DR.. smithers of
Armadillo-frst cousin of mine-the
patient, 1 mean. Gone clean off his
nut, poor fellow-thinks he's drum
mer and wanted to stop at RidgelY's
store. Better get some help. hadn't
you2"
eyes, l guess 1 had, he replied,
with glance at the disheveled Bron-
son. Then he blew a shrill whistle
and two other attendants came out of
the building.
The man in charge Of the asylum
also came out, and l had to repeat my
story about Bronson. 1 added that
my family wanted him confined until
the doctor could more properly dag
nose the exact form Of insanity from
which he was suffering. I told him
the doctor would be down in the
morning to fix up the papers.
1 didn't know whether that sounded
regular or not, but took chance at
it.
Bronson was raving like the maniac
he was supposed to be when they took
him out of the hack, which greatly
facilitated matters, and they pulled
him inside and locked him in a cell.
1 didn't wait for them to come out
no, sir-not me l ordered the
hack back to Ridgely's store on the
double quick, paid of the driver and
went in.
Ridgely met me with a hearty
handshsks.
"sorry I didn't get around sooner, "
1 told him. "But I've just been taking
relative to the asylum"
"That so2" replied We1, squirting
at me over the tops of his glasses.
"HOpe be amt violent"
"Well, he was pretty bad when l
left, and 1 daresay he will be worse be-
fore he gets out.
"ToO bad" he sympathizsd. "By
the way, where's Bronson this year
"Bronson2 Oh, yes, the fellow who
used to be my rivalH Let me see
haven't 1 seen him somewhere recent
ly2 Yes, I'm quite sure have. Oh,
yes-I met him in the northern part
of the state last MONTH
"What you got p asked Wex, cycling
my sample case as if undecided about
something. 1t was evident that he
was looking for Bronson about this
time.
1 Immediately launched into de-
scription of our new lines, and after a
few minutes he began to be interested.