The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-05-07

Copyright, by Daily Story Pub. Coz
By HARRY VAN DEMARK

olOEy IuO. CO.)
the asylum grounds and entered at
slow trot
who have you got?" l heard an at
tendant ask.
Another buggy one" returned the
driver Gent inside II tell ye all
about it"
That was my cue, so made my exit,
closing and fastening the door after
me.
Bronson, pale and weak from the
jolting he had received, scrambled I'M
steadily to his feet and looked tSol-
ishly at us through the window.
That look was all the keeper needed.
1t saved words and words Of eXpiana-
ton. All said was:
"A patient from DR.. Smithers Of
Armadillo-first cousin of mine the
patient, mean. Gone clean of his
nut poor fellow-thinks he's a drum
mer and wanted to stop at Ridgely's
store. Better get some help, hadn't
your"
"Yes, l guess I had" lie replied,
with a 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 come out, and | had to repeat my
story about Bronson. added that my
family wanted him confined until the
doctor could more properly diagnose
the exact form of insanity from which
he was suffering. l told him the doc
tor would be down in the morning to
fix up the papers.
didn't know whether that sounded
regular or not, but 1 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 cell.
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 off the driver and went in.
Ridgely met me with hearty hand,
shake.
Sorry l didn't get around sooner"
I told him. But I've just been taking
a relative to the asylum"
"Too bad" he sympathized. by
the way, where's Bronson this year,"
Bronson? Oh, yes, the fellow who
used to be my rival? Let me see
haven't seen him somewhere recent,
ly? Yes, I'm quite sure | have. Oh,
yes-I met him In the northern part
of the state last month"
What you got?" asked Wex, eyeing
my sample case as If undecided about
something 1t was evident that he
was looking for Bronson about this
time.
Immediately launched into de-
scription of our new lines, and after a
few minutes he began to be interest
| ed. / had never been able to interest
him before, but that was because
Bronson always got there first.
Now, look here, Ridgely," l wound
up, patting him affectionately on the
shoulder, Il think it's about time l
had a good order out of you. | was
speaking to Mr. Cracken about you
Just before coming down here, and he
would greatly like to have you for a
regular customer He thinks you are
the most up-to-date merchant outside
the big cities"
Did he say that?" Wex looked
pleased.
Eyes, and l am sure he will do some
thing handsome by you if you will
order your fall stock of us. For in
stance, he might allow you the usual
cash discount on a time account
do you think he will? Moneys
rather tight just now"
I'm sure of tin fact, will sell
you the goods with that understand
ing. AS for the goods il they're not
satisfactory, l won't come near you
next year."
That's fair enough" said he. "Trot
EN- out"
1t was all over in half an hour
Ridgely had ordered a bill of goods
totaling 81 500, and, bidding him an af
fectionate goodby, l caught the even
ing train out of town.
Bronson? Oh, he got out after
about three days detention. 1t took
him that long to convince them that
he wasn't crazy. When DR.. Smithers
failed to show up, they made an inves
tigation and decided that there had
been a sad mistake
l haven't seen Bronson since. Some
how, we never seem to be in the same
territory at the same time any more
One of my friends was heartless
enough to suggest that was purpose
ly avoiding him.
We may meet some day, and then.
but that's in the future, and | always
let the future take care Of itself.
Wheat Ruined by Rust.