The Yale expositor., 1908-07-10

Dut nVe miles away, got the court
house. Only one who has lived in a
small ambitious town knows the bit
terness of the defeated at such small
triumphs and the ill-concealed exulta-
ton OF the successful. The people OF
Democrat, after this blow, sank into
a doze that might have deepened into
Rip Van Wrinkle sleep in the new
pharmacy had not been located in the
center of the town.
The oldest and the youngest and in
termediate inhabitants watched the
construction of the new building from
the moment when the first load OF
bricks was dumped-watched the evo-
luton from a mass of brick, lumber
and mortar of an imposing building
a building that looked down supercili-
ously on the post Office and the Metro
politan hotel.
When the stock was in, and soda
water fountain besides, the citizens
were invited to an opening. And
while the amiable visitors gawked
around at the handsome furnishings,
photograph sputtered and buzzed out
Sousas marches, and languishing
voice sang old Kentucky Home" as
natural as life, and as an encore "Old
Black joe" which made the audience
cheer feverishly. Then the proprietor
urged Phyllis Hackett, the belle of
Democrat, to sing into the phono-
graph because Lem Bond said she
could sing purifier than ii could" But
Phyllis refused Then every one was
treated TO soda water and went away
rejoicing.
But ii was not OF the monograph
nor the soda water that every one of
them hummed about when out of ear
shot. 1t was of the proprietor, Julius
Murray, who, during the entire even
ing, wore his soft gray hat pulled
low over his face. And it was not long
before the people on the outlying
farms around Democrat had heard that
the boss" at the drug store wore a
hat on all occasions.
do tell" the incredulous yokel
would cry. and drop in" casually,
staring innocently at the proprietor
10 the hat, and before parting would
leave a dime or nickel behind him
! taking a glass of soda water or tune
! ON the photograph as an equivalent.
! yhe news grew and waXed extrava-
giant, as gossip will. and it was full.
grown rumor that the bell-boy al the
Metropolitan hotel said that the drug
store man slept and ate with his
| hat on.
Phyllis Hackett's father was large
| Iandholder in Democrat and was quite
willing to interest others in this land.
| The next time he went over to EN-
eire to attend court he told every one
about the excellently equipped drug
store-and the man in the hat played
prominent part in the narrative.
He so interested a drummer that the
man went over with him in his buggy,
and before he shook the dust of Demo
crat from his feet had left some sam
pie goods in the drug store, and Muir
ray was to get handsome commits
sion on all that he sold.
This was a shrewd move on Hack
ett's part. The drummer, in his own
interest, spread the news wherever
he stopped, and more drummers came,
and more goods were left at the drug
store, and the man in the hat. within
year. had to enlarge his building TO
accommodate his thriving trade.
Phyllis Hackett. following her ia.
theirs injunctions, told her young
friends in Empire about the soda
water and the photograph, and espe
cially emphasized to the girls the
mysterious proprietor, who was just
lawfully handsome" and wore his soft
hat well over his face. So it became
quite the fashion for crowds of young
people to come over on moonlit nights
to listen to photograph selections and
drink soda water
The county paper came out with a
long article with scare headlines-nC
names given-of a man who, for some
mysterious reason, always wore his
hat II cited other remarkable Incl
dents in history. and wound up in q
lurid sea of mixed metaphor and fig
ures OF speech, and spoke of THE
Black Knight who wore his visor anC
iron gloves on all occasions. But the
article appealed to the public. ant
was the best sort of an advertisement
for the man in the hat, whose bust
ness increased with each day, and
with his growing prosperity the towr
was naturally benefited. And the PEG
pie of Empire were Obliged to come
to Democrat for their drugs.
Then, thanks to the drummers, the
railroad that had been threatening t
throw out an arm from Metropolis
ten miles away, and for which Empir,
had fought and schemed and prayed
ever since 1t secured the courthouse
sent surveyors over to Democrat
Hackett took charge of them and en-
tertained royally-drove them arount
10 the drug store-introduced them 4
Murray, who treated them to the hes
soda water, and Phyllis completed tn,
conquest by presiding at Dime
given 10 them.
Julius Murray came over to Hack
ett's that night and walked will
rlh.,f1f. ~ tba loup ood NTH bfe cot