The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-12-01
The Redemption
Of David Corson
BY CHARLES FREDERIC Goss
by Mermc All Rights Reserves,


I gave you two dollars. and you
only gave me change for one." cried
a thin faced. stoop- -shouldered, help
ess-looking fellow. who had just pur-
chased bottle of the Balm of the
Blessed Islands,"
With lightning-like legerdemain the
quack had shuffied this bill to the bot
tom OF his pile, and lifting up the one
that lay on top, exposed 1t to the view
of his audience,
That's lie!" he said in his slow
impressive manner There is always
such man as this In every crowd.
Some one is always trying to take ad-
vantage Of those who, like myself, are
living for the public good. Gentlemen,
you saw me lay the b-b-bill he gave
me down upon the top! Here It is;
judge for yourselves. That Is a bad
man! Beware Of him!"
The bold effrontery of the quack ST.
fenced the timid customer who could
only blush and look confused His
bushes and confusion condemned him
and the crowd hustled him away from
the wagon. They believed him guilty
and he half believed 1t of himself.
David. who had seen the bill and
knew the victims innocence but not
the doctors fraud. pressed forward to
defend him. The quack stopped and
silenced him with an inimitable wink
and then instantly and with consum-
mate art diverted his audience with a
series Of droll stories which he always
reserved for emergencies like this
They were old and thread d-bare, but
this was the reason he chose them
He had one for every circumstance
and occasion.
There was a man standing in an
outer circle Of the crowd around whose
forehead was bandage. Come here,
my friend" said the quack. How did
you get this wound? Don't want to
tell? OH well, that is natural. A
horse kicked him. no doubt; never got
in a row! No! Mol Couldn't any
one hit him! Reminds me of the man
who saw a big black -and blue spot on
his boys forehead My son. said he,
I thought told you not to fight? How
did you get this woundr I bit 1t,
father replied the boy.
Bit it, exclaimed the old man In
astonishment. how could you bite
yourself upon the foreheadT
II climbed onto chair says he
And you have been climbing on a
chair to bite your forehead, too, my
friend?" he asked with humorous grav-
ity. while loud guffaw went up from
the crowd.
WELL" he continued soothingly
y whether you did 1t or not, Just let
me rub little of this BIB balm upon
1t. and by tomorrow morning 1t will
be well. There That's right. One
dollar is all it costs. You don't want
1t? What the d-d-deuce did you let
me open the bottle for? I'll leave It
to the crowd If that is fair?, There,
that is right. Pay for It like a man.
It's worth double its price. Thank YOU.
By tomorrow noon you will b-b-be
sending me testimonial to its value"
The novelty Of the scene, the skill
of the principal actor. the rapid growth
of the piles Of coin and bills. the fran
tic desire Of the people to be gulled,
all served to obscure those elements
which were calculated to appeal to the
Quaker's conscience. He felt like one
awakened from dream. While he
was still in the half dozed condition
of such an awakening. the quack gave
him sign that this part of his lesson
was ended, and following the direction
of the thumb which he threw over his
shoulder towards Pepeeta's tent, he
eagerly took his way thither.
PafNro tha 1onr otonS eaparoI
of young men and maidens, talking
under their bretath. Now and then a
couple disentangled itself from the
crowd. and with visible trepidation en-
tered. AS they reappeared, their
friends gathered about them and be-
sought them to disclose the secrets
they had discovered
Some Of them giggled and simpered
others laughed boisterously and skep-
-tically, while others still, looked scared
and anxious. 1t was evident that even
those who tried to make light of what
they had seen and heard were moved
by something awe-inspiring
David listened to their silly talk. OH
served their bold demeanor and their
vulgar manners, while the impression
Of weakness, of stupidity, of the low
ness and bestiality of humanity made
upon his mind by the aged and the
mature, was Intensified by his obser-
walton Of the young and callow.
From the outside of the gypsy's tent
he could make but few discoveries of
her method; and he waited impatien
ly until the last curious couple had de-
parted. When they had disappeared,
he entered.
At the opposite side of the tent and
reclining upon low divan was the
gypsy Above her head a tallow can
die was burning dimly. Before her
was rough table covered with a
shawl. upon which were scattered cups
Of tea with floating grounds, ivory,
dice. cards. coins and other Implements
OF the BLACK Art"
Pepeeta sprang to her feet when
she saw who her visitor was, and ex-
hibited the clearest signs OF agitation.
Davids own emotions were not less
violent, for although the gypsy's sur
roundings were poor and mean, they
served rather to enhance than to d.
minish her exquisite beauty. Her
shoulders and arms were bare, and ON
her wrists were gold bracelets of
writhing serpents in whose eyes
cleaned diamonds On her fingers and
in her ears were other costly stones.
Her dress was silk. and rustled whom