Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-11-07
THE LAST CIGAR.
Tobacco! tits a filthy weed, isl
1t drains tbs pocket, scents the clothes,
And makes a chimney Of tho nose.

And makes a chimney Of tho nose.
The story which | am about TO relate is
one in which ] hlvs a double object. The
first, to prove TO you the folly of the expen-
sive, useless and Injurious Practice OF using
tobacco. The second, to induce you by re.
lating my sad eXperience-.hough not eigli-
tden years of age-to quit, if any of you have
fallen a victim to a hlbit, tint once formed,
can only be broken by the strongest perssve.
rance and most rigid self-Ienill. When you
read the story, you have the satisfaction, if
satisfaction it be, Of knowing it is true.
1t was a cold, rainy evening 10 the month
of Mlrch, as | was hurrying up Broadway,
New York; with my eyes ~intently fxed up
on a brilliant ligat glelming from the win
dow of a not far distant cigar shop, that ]
was accostel by a poor but neatly clad girl,
about nine years old, who asked in a pitiful
but commanding tone for ''some bread" |
had been often called upon by unworthy lock-
ing persons for aid, and had as often turned
a deaf ear to their Notwithstanding myself
by saying, "there are SO many unworthy
ones cdlllng upon our charity, we kpow not
upon whom we bestow our gifts"
But could not think so in the case of this
little girl. She stood with her bare feet on
the cold wet pavement; her dress-as | could
see from the light shininyfron the shop win
dow-though somewhat the "worse for wear''
was clean; aud her whole person displayed
that unassuming, natural appearance unchar-
acteristic of that unfortunate class Of which
she was a member.
DESTROYS of knowing more Of her history;
| commenced IA conversation by asking her
which she wonld rather have, bread or mon
cyl
She looked at me hesltatingly and said,
"Sir, | want breaa-I have a sick mother and
two small sisters
Here she stopped, choked with emotion,
and the tears came to her eyes.
"Have you no fathcr9" said i.
81 hlve," she said unhesitltingly, ''but he
drinks; he does not live at home"
The story was told was satisfied. put
my hand into my pocket, but alas! a solitary
s~ixpence was its occupant. / hesitated, and
thought of the expected luxury, of the cigar
store. thought too, that the sixpcnce would
get a loaf of bread, and thus ameliorate The
the wants Of a suffering family; but the strong
propensity of still stronger cigar, got the
better of my good intention, and | told her.
81 was sorry, but | had no money to spare
III had | would willingly give tito her"
She left me with a look of sadness, and l.
turned my eyes from her Disguised with my
own act, and pursued my way to the cigar
shop. l would have directed herto my home
but, the distance rendered it impracticable, \
purchased my cigar and went home smo-
king; but I could not help thinking of the
poor littleigirl. Strange thoughts ran through
my mind. | would ask myself from which
| could derive the most pleasure, seeing myself
making use of an unnatural substance, fobac~l
CO, or in seeing the suffering poor use the .natur-
al staff of life, breadl Then would wonderful
the little girl met with any more Liberal thar
myself-hoping that she did. FINALLY reach
ed my home; and Us / entered the room the
clock struck nine. 4
The family had retired; I took a seat ncSr
the fire and eat in q quiet mood while tho
smoke assembled from my lighted cigar. The
only noise that disturbed my cars was the
ticking of the. clock and the occasional snap
ping of'thc half burning embers in the fire
The lamp had grown dim for the want Of
retrilnming.
Thus | sat, half inclined to Gleep, till 4
knew fire had reached that part of my cigar
that was. wet, by the continued kissing it oc-
casioned. ] looked up. the room was blue
with smeke; | cast my eyes upon the clock
it was half past nine, another half hour had
gone-gone forever! And what have i &C.
complishedl This started a new train of
ideas. laid my cigar on the trble, took
from my pocket q pencil, and made the fol. |
loving notes and calculations:
Commenced smoking when nine years old,
Through the influence Of other boys-under
the mistaken idea Of making a man of my
self,) at the age of ten l oouid smoke the
strongest cigar without feeling that dizziness
it first produced, and at the early age of e!ev-
en-, | found myself a eonirtned yctary to that
o8ioue. yiciouS habit of smoktort
From eleven years to my present age (sev-
enteen years and four months) | know two ci-
CARS a day would be a moderate estimate
many was the day for the last two years that
six would not excuse me.
Counting two a day from my eleventh yelr,
and including all that | had smoked the two
years previous, it an cunts to four thousand
six hundred and twenty cigars.
Allowing each cigar to be, on an average.
three and a hak inches in length, would be
one thousand three hundred and fory-nihe
feet and two inches of an emetic that ! con-
sumed, which, had | swallowed a piece the
size Of a pin, would haze thrown me into
horrid commissions.
Each cigar cost me at least ono cent, and
some cost more; this would amount to forty
six dollars and twenty cents with interest.
never smoked a cigar in less than half
an hour-and never did anything else while
smoking.
My time was worth at n moderate estim fte,
three cents an hour. This would amount TO
sixty-nine dollars and thirty-one cents.
When | looked over the result, and found
that / had spent nincty-Gve dollars and fifty
cents; took 3 months in consuming thot which
destroyed my nervous system, and all at the
age of Serenfeen-and when | thought how