The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-12-12
A DOUBLE
MISTAKE
By ARTHUR W. BREWSTER

Happy the man In whose daily avo.
cation there is no risk. When was
Young man went 10 work for whole.
sale drug firm. One day retailer
wrote from neishborlng town that
our concern had sold him drug that
made every one sick who took any of
It It turned out that had put up the
package sold.
/ never entirely got over the narrow
escape | had had in this case. I re-
cciyed only the usual reprimand from
my employers, for no one can perfectly
rely on accuracy always. Later set
up for myself as retailer OF drugs.
Though our system was perfect. we
lad some narrow escapes from com.
hitting unintentlonal murder. When
any Of my clerks made a mistake /
impressed upon him the Importance
II being careful, but could not In
my heart blame them.
There are occasions where person
who Is perfectly methodical, adheres to
system, exercises every care and yet
will do something that lie can never
afterward understand why lie did ii
Then there are occasions when It IS
impossible to fix the mind on ones
work One day not long after ! had
set m for myself a young lady came
into the store and asked for some
harmless medicine. At the saiAe time
man asked for poison with which
10 kill bugs. The young lady happened
10 be one who Impressed me. IcoulHn't
keep my eyes OF her. Before the two
different packages were ready, otlIe.
persons came in. and did one OF those
things l should not have done. In
stead Of paying no attention to new.
corners till after serving those present
] undertook to serve all OF them. What
was the result? When the young lady
WHO had called for simple remedy
aud the man who wished a bug poison
lad gone Il horrible suspicion came
into my head that had given the poi
son 10 the young girl. could not warn
her, for didn't know who she was.
Why had broken my rule about
serving number of persons ut once?
] couldn't answer the question except
for the reason that l had been very
much struck with the young lady. In
deed, had looked at her so admirinsly
that lad noticed faint flush come
Into her cheek But the fearful consc.
quences Of her or any one else taking
the dose of the bug poison for the medi-
cine she had called for would surely
result fatally.
\ crisis hung over my head which.
till It had passed. would keep me in n
frightful suspense As soon US thc
calamity occurred, If had made the
error feared | lad made, the mcdi-
cine | had sold would be examined.
my name would he on the package and
| would sooA hear of tile trouble. The
best that could be said for my comfort
was that | would not likely be tried
for murder. because | had no motive
for poisoning any ole. But would
carry 10 my grave the knowledge that
mad through cnrelessncss caused the
death of the person to whom | had
sod it, for | remembered she asked
me. How often shall take it,?
Furthermore, my. business would be
rncd aud would not have the heart
10 80 elsewhere and make another
start | made two resolutions IN case
the trouble fell upon me-first, would
never again start in the drug business;
second. would commit suicide.
livery morning aud every evening
took up newspaper with fear and
trembling. When week had passed
FELT that the danger was somewhat
lcssened. But had the young lady died
from the effect Of poison would those
about her surely attribute her death
10 that cause? This gave me feeling
similar to that of one who may expect
At any moment to drop down from
heart disease. apoplexy or some other
fatal disease
am one Of those persons whose az
tive imaghiatitci minds ;iity Influence
their bodies. ]. became morbid. then
i'll, simply from suspense. tool; n
partner into my business and absent.
ed myself from 1t most of the time \
'|'NlEiNH tolu NE tl:ll WIS going INTO
decline, But knew well enough
that il could he uss,red that had
not Killed any oEr would be well
enough. Finally 1t occurred to me that
IL the young t.uly had no, suffered the
consequences OF my possible error she
would liEciy have visited my store
aimn
one day l was wandering aimlessly
through an unfrcquentcd street tor,
tHrcd by my t"nu;'cS when, turning
corncr, came face 10 face with tic
sirI whose fate was driving me into
nelanchoiil. There she was, tripping
along AS healthy. rs rosy, as fresh US
NE. Beside myself with joy, made
o0r bound, caught her in my arms and
covered her face with kisses.
When realized what l had doue
was stricken with fresh terror lest
She have me arrested for assault. In.
stead, when released her She smiled
vt me- through her bushes md said,
7 %ncw how yon felt toward me the
tlG,' | won't intn ynur Sforn cnr n urn.