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


I had landed in Dayton with the
avowed intention of selling Wex
Ridgely bill of goods, or going to the
insane asylum in the outskirts of the
village as permanent boarder.
Kinsley, Cracken C Co, my employ
ers, had intimated that an order from
him would prove acceptable. This
was told me by MIR. Cracken himself,
in tone | could not well misunder
stand.
So, when stepped off the train and
saw Bronson of Lord & Delston's in
the act of tipping boy to carry his
sample cases to the town hack, do not
wonder that l said Good heavens!"
and thought something a great deal
worse.
There had always been bad blood
between Bronson and myself, our
paths were always crossing. He had
no scruples when it came to getting
ahead of me; nothing was too desper-
ate for him to attempt if 1t gave me
the short" end.
By several little tricks unknown in
the category Of the true professional
man he had been able to hold Wex
Ridgely's trade against me, so natur-
ally l grew to have it in for him.
And on this day, when l saw my
rival, cool and debonair, standing be-
fore me at the Dayton depot, and had
visions of Ridgely's order slipping
away from me again-ditto, my job
! made up my mind to square it all
with one coup de maitre.
We reached the hack about the
same moment. Bronson scrambled in,
leaving the boy to throw his grips on
top of the vehicle, and I followed, pull.
ing my own sample case in with me-
you've got your nerve!" This from
Bronson.
"Sh! that's all right, old man."
said, soothingly, in a tone plainly
audible to the driver. That's all right
now. l know you think you're drum
mer, and it's all right for you to think
so. re-there-there!"
What are you talking about, any
way?"
There was blank look in Bronson's
eyes, as we'll there might have been
for what l said sounded to him like
rank balderdash.
Where do you gents want to go"
Queried the driver, politely, sticking
his head in at the dOor
ITO Ridgely's store" said Bronson
in no pleasant tone. No hotel ant
wash-up for him while l was on hii
trail.
There, there!" turned to the
driver. Don't mind him; he think:
he's a drummer, but there's really
something loose up here" and
tapped my forehead significantly. "Jus
drive-er-well, you know where"
Sure thing" he responded, grin
ming 81 thought his nibs LOOKED
kinder batty.''
Here sag. driver!" cried Bron
son, but he might as we'll have ad
dressed statue, for the driver, afte
|
ment, climbed on the front of tn
hack and we whirled off up the coun
try road toward the village, which wa
about half mile from the depot.
Bronson fumed and fretted an,
cursed, finally turning to me with:
"Blankety-bIank you, Nevins, wha
did you tell him that for? Is this
practical joke?"
"There-there- it's all right, now,
] soothed. BE still, there's a goo
fellow"
At this Bronson grew so mad he wa
speechless; he just sat there an
spluttered without saying word.
"If he gifts unruly, jes' call on me,
drawled the driver, as he poked hi
head down and squinted at me throug
the front of the hack.
Thank you, driver; but I'm sur
he will go along quietly" l responded
He looks t me like a feller wha
use t. sell goods t. Wex Ridgely.
don't s'pose that was what sent hir
| off his nut, was it?"
mo, but it's strange coincidence
he declares his name is Bronson an
that he used to sell goods to WeX. @
course, we'll let him think so ]
, won't do any harm, poor fellow. Wei
drive up little. l want to get m
poor relative confined before he grow
, more violent"
, You'll stop at Ridgely's store
driver, and no nonsense!" shoute
Bronson.
"Oh, sure l WILL" returned tn
, driver, winking good-naturedly at MI
"Nevins, I've good mind to brea
. your neck for this trick. That ma
! really thinks I'm crazy"
"There-there, old fellow: of cours
o you're not crazy-no, no-Cf cours
not"
q That set him off again and we ha
n whirled by Ridgely's store before
). knew it.
@ Finally, we drew up at the gate