A man stepped into a Heading, Pa., drug
store and said to the clerk, wilh the conn
dent air of one who knew exactly what he
wanted :
"Got any roach powder?" "Oh, yes,"
was the bland reply. The apothecary threw
open a glass case and immediately placed
upon the counter in front of his customer a
bottle of 'Sure Death to Cockroaches."
' Tell me how it works?" "Certainly
vou take a pinch of the powder between
"thumb and finger, hold it down near the
crevice aud give it a pufl so ; it'll be sure
to kill 'em."
"Kill m I Heavens! The powder's for
my old woman. Kill 'era Not much !"
and the man shook bis head.
Inquiry developed the fact that it was
Rocheile, not roach powder, that had been
recommended for the "old woman," and
the correct article was soon supplied.
A reporter, hearing of this adventure,
asked the druggist if many such cases, re
sulting from ignorance or carelessness, came
under his notice.
"They occur almost daily," was the reply;
"and are not only dangereus. but superla
tively ridiculous. What would you say to
this for instance ?" Here was displayed a
number of the orders that had been received
from various customers, among them the
following: "Pleas giv the barer 5 sents
worth of onikaP (arnica) "Send me to
pondesof Lickerich." "I want a J lb, Grlm
itatar" (cream of tartar). "Send me some
Maganiesha, for a fisig." Ten cents of hole
Sinimon." "Twemty-hve sends of heircreas
ine." "Pleas scad me some said peater-"
"1 he spelling of some of these has been some
what unproved and the punctuation attended
to.
