Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-12-02
The Evening Story
"A DOUBLE
MISTAKE
By ARTHUR W. BREWSTER

ii ~ <1NAS1OtN W. OtNS WSseN Ill .
Happy the man In whose daily avo-
cation there IL no risk. When was a
young man went to work for whole
sole drug nrm. One day retailer
wrote from = neighboring town that
our concern had sold him drug that
made every one sick who took any of
It. 1t turned out that had put up the
package sold.
never entirely got over the narrow
escape / had had in this case. re-
ceived only the usual reprimand fHm
my employers, for no one can perfectly
rely on accuracy always. Later ! et
up for myself rs a retailer of drut.
Though our system was perfect. We
had some narrow escapes from con-
hitting unintentional murder. Whea
any Of my clerks made a mistake
impressed upon him the importance
Of being careful, but l could not I'M
my heart blame them. l
There are occasions where a person
who is perfectly methodical, adheres to
system, exercises every care and yet
will do something that he can never
afterward understand why he did 1t.
Then there are occasions when it is
impossible to FIX the mind on ones
work. One day not long after had
set up for myself young lady came
into the store and asked for some
harmless medicine. At the same time
a man asked for poison with which
to kill bugs. The young lady happened
to be one who impressed me. l couldn't
keep my eyes OF her. Before the two
different packages were ready other
persons came in. and did one Of those
things l should not have done. In
stead of paying no attention to new
|comers till after serving those present
! undertook to serve all Of them. What
was the result? When the young lady
who had called for a simple remedy
and the man who wished bug npison
had gone a horrible suspicion came
into my head that had given tn pol
son to the young girl. could notwarn
her, for l didn't know who she Wis.
Why had l broken my rule lbout
serving a number Of persons at pnce?
l couldn't answer the question except
for the reason that had been very
much struck with the young lady In
deed, l had looked at her so admHingly
that had noticed faint fiushr come
into her cheek. But the fearful sonse-
quences Of her or any one else liking
the dose Of the bag poison for thsnedi-
cine she had called for would tlrely
result fatally.
A crisis hung over my head which.
till It had passed. would keep md in a
frightful suspense. AS soon ~ the
calamity occurred. II had mad the
error feared l had made. the inedi-
cine I had sold would be examined.
my name would be on the packa3 and
!, / would soon hear of the trouble. The
best that could be said for my cohfort
was that would not likely beEtried
, for murder. because had no nbtive
for poisoning any one. But l teuld
\ carry to my grave the knowledgd that
# l had through carelessness causel the
death OF the person to whom had
sold 1t, for I remembered she Ssked
me- "How often shall l take itf'
Furthermore. my business wouN be
ruined and would not have the Heart
to go elsewhere and make anSther
q start. made two resolutions in case
the trouble fell upon me-first, would
v never again start In the drug business;
8 second. l would commit suicide.
Every morning and every evening
Re took up a newspaper with fear ant
le trembling. When week had passed
= felt that the danger was somewha
lessened. But had the young lady de
from the effect Of poison would thos
about her surely attribute her dealt
. to that cause? This gave me feelin
similar to that Of one who may expec
at any moment to drop down frou
heart disease. apoplexy or some othe
fatal disease.
am one Of those persons whose n
tive. imaginative minds may intiuenc
their bodies. became morbid. the
III, simply from suspense. | took
partner into my business and absen
ed myself from 1t most OF the time.
physician told me that was going in'
q decline. But knew we'll enoug
that IL could be assured that ha
not killed any one | would be we
enough. Finally 1t occurred to ME thu
II the young lady had not suffered tt
consequences OF my possible error 81
would likely have visited my stol
again.
One day was wandering aimless
through an unfrequented street to
tured by my troubles when, turning
corner. ! came face to face with Il
girl whose fate was driving me In
melancholia. There she was, tripplI
along ~ healthy. as rosy, as fresh
life. Beside myself with Joy. maj
one bound. caught her In my arms n
covered her face with kisses.
When realixsd what ! had done
was stricken With q fresh terror le
she have me arrested for assault I
stead. when I released her she smil'