The Washington herald., 1914-08-05
The Drug Clerk.
By EMORY J. HAYNES,

In Boston drug store stands a clerk. Behind that
counter he has stood, walked and lived for thirty
years. The corner is famous over wide area The
clerk plays the doctor for all sorts Of ls For many
year wealthy man. who lives on a wealthy avenue,
enters every week and shows his tongue. The clerk
looks at the tongue Sometimes the seller of pills
simply shakes his head negatively. Other times he
passes out the correctional glass. Not a word is
spoken. Fifty cents laid on the counter ends the
pantomime The druggist is not practicing physi-
clan and never of course, prescribes May not one
sell glass of soda water?
There is not citizen of any importance for blocks
whose aches and pains the clerk does not know.
And many fine ladies, bent On buying bottle of per-
fume of course with the white-haired clerk
friend of years, about the best tonic.
The walls of the little writ all over
criss-cross, by family histories. Gossip shop? Per-
ish the name. Some enemy uses the words. No,
social exchange" clearing house of society news,
these would far better title the place You see,
body steps in at Blanks place, both going and coming
Blank is always perfect gentleman, and genial
listener
He is busy busting back and forth, always putting
UP something always tying one of those neat little
bundles How masterfuly, how artisticaly he tie
up package bottle say, that you and could never
harness with string and he snaps the string he
looks up benigny, having overheard so much family
history He did need to strain his The two
customers talked to him. at him, into him. He smiles
and says nothing Not his to advise what to do with
the wayward Harvard boy.
But is not it all written these walls? Is there
any social fact fiction, about this entire fine resi-
Dental section that has not been sometime bresthed
upon this aromatic drug store air? And so the mar
rative has been given in the walls and ceiling
If only the room would break its stored silence !
Perhaps it does. At any rate many man remarks
to his family 81 heard it round at the drug store
How potent this man is. His potions the re-
duced powers of nature itself. Along these shelves
are forces to lay low a regiment to explode the
most torpid liver that is dead while it lives Here is
health and high spirits courage and strength all in
these sheved curtains. The clerk often glances up
these stores of get-well stus and feels conscious
pride in being the master hand that alone let
these mighty agencies loose. He only wishes that
more customers would enter and take these hallowed
blessings to their comfort
What tragedies have been enacted in this rooml
Do not all the victims Of street accidents get carried
in at the drug store? Is there not always arica and
courtplaster and shelter here? Tom was brought in
here, after the auto death. Tom, whom everybody
liked The aged clerk phoned Mrs. Tom and the little
daughter, and then he tried to comfort the hearts
that were breaking. This shop was a sanctuary.
Angels have ministered here. More than it has
been solemn death chamber.
Feet pazied with pain and fear have shuled across
its marble floor. Men and women faint with terror,
have gasped for breath here and whispered feeble
requests for cordial lest they die. The skilled hand
of the clerk has felt for the uttering pulse his
has listened for heart BEATS has taken love messages
from the dying. He remembers how men have asked
if he could pray. Yes, and soft and low, holding
cold hand he has prayed. The drug shop then a
cathedral for an hour.
Then there is the room in the back, which is quite
antipode Did you peep in at the of all this
tinseled splendor? 1t reminds of turning coat
sleeve inside out All the proane jugs and old litter
all the seams and basng threads all the smell
ing refuse, gums on aromatic chaos. The place of
mixings and makings. Here is poison in bulk. Here
things that will no doubt blow up at half chance
Here in this back yard roots and herbs and mimic
retorts, and quaint old pestles. Here are packing
boxes in which the original tonic and cure come in
bulk straight from the mystic factories up and down
the land.
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