The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-03
A DOUBLE
MISTAKE
BY ARTHUR w. BREWSTER

Happy the man IN whose udlIy dVO-
cation there is no risk. When l was
young man went to work for whole
sale drug firm. One day a retailer
wrote from a neighboring town that
our concern had sold him a drug that
made every one sick who took any of
It. It turned out that had put up the
package sold.
I never entirely got over the narrow
escape 1 had had in this case. l re-
ceived only the usual reprimand from
my employers. for no one can perfectly
rely ON accuracy always. Later l set
up for myself as a retailer of drugs.
Though our system was perfect, we
had some narrow escapes from COM
mitting unintentonal murder When
any Of my clerks made a mistake l
impressed upon him the Importance
of being careful, but l could not in
my heart blame them.
There are occasions where a person
who is perfectly methodical, adheres to
a system, exercises every care and yet
will do something that he can never
afterward understand why he did it.
Then there are occasions when it is
impossible to fix the mind on ones
work. One day not long after l had
set up for myself young lady came
into the store and asked for some
a man asked for poison with which
to kill bugs. The young lady happened
to be one who impressed me. 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 ttll after serving those present
l undertook to serve all of them. What
was the resultf When the young lady
who had called foe q simple remedy
and the man who wished bug poison
had gone horrible suspicion came
into my head that had given the poi
son to the young girl. I could not warn
her, for didn't know who she was.
Why had l broken my rule about
serving a number Of persons at once2
couldn't answer the question except
for the reason that 1 had been very
much struck with the young lady. In
deed, had looked at her SO admiringly
that 1 had noticed a faint flush come
into her cheek. But the fearful conse-
quences Of her or any one else taking
the dose Of the bug poison for the medi-
cine abe had called for would surely
result fatally.
A crisis hung over my head which,
till it had passed, would keep me in a
frightful suspense. AS soon as the
calamity occurred, If had made the
error l feared 1 had made, the medi-
| cine 1 had sold would be examined,
my name would be on the package and
would soon hear Of the trouble. The
best that could be said for my comfort
was that 1 would not likely be tried
for murder, because / had no motive
for poisoning any one. But 1 would
carry to my grave the knowledge that
1 had through carelessness caused the
death Of the person to whom l had
sold it, for 1 remembered she asked
me, How often shall take itT'
Furthermore, my business would be
ruined and would not have the heart
to go elsewhere and make another
start. 1 made two resolutions in case
the trouble fell upon me-frst, l would
never again start in the drug business
second, l would commit suicide.
Every morning and every evening
took up q newspaper with fear and
trembling. When a week had passed
1 felt that the danger was somewhat
lessened. But had the young lady died
from the effect Of poison would those
about her surely attribute her death
to that cause? This gave me a feeling
similar to that Of one who may expect
at any moment to drop down from
heart disease, apoplexy or some other
fatal disease.
l am one of those persons whose ac
tive, imaginative minds may influence
their bodies. l became morbid, ther
I'll, simply from suspense. took 9
partner into my business and absent
ed myself from 1t most of the time. A
physician told me that I was going intc
| u uOSli1lo. out AuCN HCll onOubL
that If l could be assured that l had
not killed any one I would be wei
enough. Finally it occurred to me thai
If the young lady had not suffered the
consequences of my possible error sh,
would likely have visited my store
again.
One day l was wandering aimlesslJ
through an unfrequented street tor
tured by my troubles when, turning q
corner, came face TO face with tn,
girl whose fate was driving me int
melancholia. There she was, trtppini
along as healthy, as rosy, as fresh a:
life. Beside myself with Joy. mad,
one bound, caught her in my arms ant
covered her face with kisses.
When l realized what 1 had done
was stricken with a fresh terror les
she have me arrested for assault In
stead, when released her she smiled