Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-12-24
STAR.
n & s. 81 o A N E;
How She was Cured of Using Snuff

adopted me, and for years had the whole su-
pervision of my actions F
His family consisted Of his wife, his daugh-
ter Emma, and son Clarence This was his
family proper. A Mrs. Sloane, n second or
third cousin of Mrs. Blogers', and servant
were the outsiders. =. .. .r. -
Now Clarence was boy. Every action,
look or word emanating from Clarence Blod-
gers, denoted that he was boy. Now, what
mean by boy Is, person who is constantly
thinking how he may divert himself-one who
thinks any thing that is new should receive
the notice of the world-one who, if he makes
up his mind to carry an object into effect, can
only be thwarted by the sight of that cow
hide, or the interRSsition of divine Providence
boy likes to study, provided that which he
has to study will require but little exertion
on his part. He likes any thing that is comic
lie cares not whether his most intimate friend,
or his most dire enemy is the victim Of his
mlrth. He will laugh in the same happy
glee at the sight of poor dog with kettle to
his tail, as he will on april fools day" to
man with rag to his back. He loves mis-
chief. With others Of his own age he will
hosd caucus, AID after mature deliberation,
plan viii be adopted, whereby some inno-
cent individual is to be tricked, as to satisfy
tho desires of "the boys He does nothing,
but whilst performing it he is "playing If
he eats, he only eats because he wants some
thing to do-becauseit It is the custom-because
he then can play, and sometimes the more
greedy boy viii cry because he can't eat any
more. Boys only think of things as they are,
not as they were, or what they will be. They
never inquire of what u marble is made, and
any child that does, is not boy. They are
not IN the least contemplative have wit.
messed parent talk in the greatest degree of
eestacy over her child who = asks such queer
Questions" But my reader, that child has
not half the attributes it should have, to make
it real boy. You will find it always COM
planning Of sickness, and instead of the hearty
laugh Of a boy, you hsara whine.
Glance fthis was hts knick-name,) Blogers
was in every sense of the term, a boz. L have
Always been spoken Of as being an exact coun-
terpart of my relative, and, therefore, can be
set down in the list of genuine, true bred boys
L was always the follower of Glance in all his
e-devil undertakings.
One day MY uncle Joe and his wife went
into the &C untry for recreation, leaving cousins
Emma and Glance, with myself, in charge of
al old lady, the distant relative of my aunt,
called Mrs. Sloane. She was in the constant
habit of using snuff, and she had patronized
il TO such an extent, that her face was yellow
from its effects. She would take snuff at the
tLble, in cOokings victuals, or at any occupa-
tion in which she was engaged. No matter
what she was doing, at intervsls of five min.
utc5, out came that tin box, down went her
skeleton fingers deep into its midst, the thumb
aud forefnger would compress, then these two
branches from the hand would come in con
tect with her two inch-long nose, then a
draught would be made in her nostrils, and
up went an ounce OF snuff. Perhaps our
iInsginations help us to think that our pud-
dings and pies tasted more Of snuff than of
plums and apples, but be that as it may, am
certain that we have often eaten some snuff
dropped In the pastry, whilst Mrs. Sloane was
going through the performances as described
above.
Glance has informed me that after the snuff
had been in Mrs. SlOanes nose seme time, or
at least had come to liquid form, he has wit
messed that plum-puddiDg, upon which he
was thinking with such delight, receive a
sweeting by the aid of said essence Of snuff,
and thus vanish the pleasure which he hoped
to enjoy with me, in devouring the plums, and
leaving the pudding until some other time
! Uncle Joe, who, with the aid Of mis- whip,
Was our only impediment in having revenge
on Mrs. Sloane, being now away, Glance and
were determined to retaliste upon the afore-
said Sloane in some manner, which will be
hereafter explained.
The day after Uncle Joes departure, Mrs.
Sloane announced he intention of having some
beef-stew for dinner, which dish consists OF
beef, cut up in small pieces, and then being
stowed. An accompaniment te the beef is a
small -four dumping resembling, when ready
for devouring, the color Of soap.
Glance thought that he could slip, uAob-
served, in the platter, a piece of soap the
shape of the dumplings; and as he, in the
absence of his father, performed al the duties
appertaining to that Office, as regarded the
table, it was arranged that Glance should
give Mrs. Sloane the soap; and therefore,
inst hpfOra dinpnr Glance antareH tho Eitphap
and placed the soap in one corner of the dish,
taking particular care to be sure Of the piece
and where he placed it. When dinner was
ready, and Glance and 1 had taken cur places
at the table, he forgot where the soap was,
and appealing to me for information as to
which piece L thought ii was, L pointed out a
dumpling. and Mrs. Sloane received the
dumping, of my choice Emma being fav-
orite Of Glance and myself. pains was taken
to procure her nice one What was our as.
tonishment and horror, upon hearing an ex
clamation from Emma Of "Oh, dear, how
horrid the dumplings taste" Emma had the
soap Glance and l were now exceedingly
indignant against Mrs Sloane. We charged
her with putting the soap in the dish, whilst
she most strenuously denied the charge. We
told her she was the only persoAwho had any
thing to do with the dinner, with the excep-
tion Of the girl, and we were sure she did not
w ~, Dc huut ndTdn says sue never uses soap
Mrs. Sloane said she knew we did it, and
that we were little story teIlers. This war in
words ensued for some time, and was only
ended by Emma coaxing Glance and from
the room. We were much chagrined at the
unfavorable result of our enterprise, but the
failure of this plan only made us more des-
perate and thirsty for revenge.
In the evening we "made up" las the boys
say when they renew friendship after some
Quarrels,) and Glance and 1 commenced tell
ing Mrs. Sloane about the daring adventures
OF Dick Turpin and other desperadoes. We
narrated accounts of the most horrible MUIR
ders in our recollection, and of recent depre.
dations on private property, &C., &c, all Of
which was said in very low and solemn tone,
and SO far did we work on Mrs. Sloane's fancy
that we had to see her from the piazza where
the conversation was held to her apartments
In few minutes after, Glance and re-
paired to ouf room, and having informed
Emma not to be frightened if she heard any
unusual noises, We robed ourselves in the
white bed sheets, and going down stairs,
stationed ourselves mt the door of Mrs Sloane's
room. We then knocked quite suddenly upon
the door, and in a low gruff voice demanded
of Mrs. Sloane her money or her life.- She,