Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-04
THE FooL.kiLLER FALLlBLE.
One Instance Where He Missed His
Opportunity.


He look some purplish granules from
his ease and said: This is the per-
manganate of potash and is known in
the medical profession as specific for
Fsnakebites. 1t has saved thousands of
lives. Bur there are chemists in the
laboratory where this was compounded
who do not understand geology or 10
foloey or astronomy. | fear that they
have not used the correct process in
producing this drug. How can we ex
fpect such men to make ii chemically
perfect incidence"
My heart grew sick as / listened to
the patter of that learned physician,
while the boys leg grew black and
swollen. / nave great confidence in the
permanganate from personal knoWl
Fedgo of It's successful application, and
! became nervous at the Doctors inter-
minable chatter. But he kept right on,
charmed, apparently, by the sound OF
| lis own voice. while the stricken youth
kept rapidly sinking. And then saw
the boy gasp his last, in the midst of
the doctor = haggling about those ig
norart chemists.
Blu now a strange thing occurred.
/
fpotst1 ps, and a mighty form rushed
| nurrledly up 1t carried an immense
club. with which it administered a ire
mendeus Whack On the sapient pate of
that F.oor doctor, and laid HIM out, stiff
in death. The grewsome form rushed
eff as rapidly as it had come, but I
@limpscd label on his back, which
| rad, The fool killer
Then my dream changed, in that
/ Whimsical way that dreams will
| change. to the captains table on an
ocean steamer. The captain was at the
table with a chart spread before him.
| He asked the second officer how they
| were then headed. and on receiving Il
reply. he ordered the ships course to
Re changed few points south. The
| subordinate demonstrated. saying that.
according to the chart. sunken reef
| lay directly in the new course. The
captain testify replied:
Il sec what the chart saws But have
yen never noticed what a poor gram
marian the ehartmaker was? He was a
pretty fellow to make chart. when
he didnt know how TO spell and punct-
| tate. Lay her three points further
south"
A little while afterward | heard the
roar of the breakers. OF all the COM
pany on that good ship, the captain
and | were the only ones to reach the
shore in, safety, he on a spar and | Ca
Methodist preacherJ On hencoop.
After recovering ourselves somewhat
we started for the interior.
Again [ heard those fateful footsteps.
and slancing up, | saw the fool killer,
with his club on his shoulder. APP
preaching. | acknowledge that was
| scared, but it was not / whom he
Wantod-not that time. He swatted
that sea captain and then rushed on
he Was very busy.
1t would weary you to read of all my
other encounters with the fool killer
But from a bridge builder, who used
! faulty material contrary to specifica-
tons. to a guide in an immense cavern.
who lost his party by disregarding reg
ulations, that fool killer could be de-
pended on to get the fool every time. Is
II strange that I came to have great
confidence in his uncanny skill? In fact
came to believe that he was infalIi-
ble-an error. as you will soon observe
At last sat in a pew OF u line church
IN 4 large city. A glance to the right
showed sleek alderman with a wall
let IN his side pocket on which. by
some phosphorescent trick, the word
poodle was written. The big hat of
brazen creature in front of me oblig-
ed me TO shift position slightly, to get
a view of the pulpit. but it brought me.
IN range of a POOR girl whose downcast
eyes betokened a broken, contrite
heart. A youth across the aisle show
I'd bright, expectant face which in
cheated his desire for the sincere milk
Of the word, while patriarch by his
side as evidently wished for a few bits
IF strong meat. This was all prefer
natural-I had never before so thor
Fough.y realized the needs of an audi
lence. OF course there We're one or two
ISkeptles present, but passed them over
Ecarelessly, when | reflected on the large
Enumber who bad come expecting some
Eapplieation of gospel truth.
T And then the preacher arose. but if
Eyou will believe me, he said not one
word to awaken sinners, comfort
monrners, or build up believers He
quarreled with Moses's geology and
Joshuas astronomy. He said that he
did not believe in plenary inspiration.
ana the swagger that accompanied his
words almost made me shout, well T
10, though, as a matter of fact. do
not. He used the higher criticism on
the Bible in such "A way as TO almost
disgust me with every sort of criti-
cism. All of this, mind YOU, while |
was looking about me at the habit -fet-
tered. guilt-arcursed, down hearted
souls in the audience. not one of whom
got the message he needed and wanted
., it was overwhelmingly heart sicken-
ing.
After the benediction | was standing
FOR moment near the door, when the
two skeptics met near me.
That's the stuff" said one with a
sardonic leer.
You bet" the other sententiouslv
replied. IT was the only praise of the
sermon that | heard.
And now the minister came hurryins
down the aisle, and stood at the door
shaking hands with the people as they
passed out. A strange, nervous dread
took nOSSpSSipn of mo 7 falI int ~