Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-08-18

he named tnem anu recognized three of
them as men whom / had seen in the store
81 see it all, Ned.''
"And don't you think she is to blame?n
Why-youll pardon me, 1 know-but I
think you gave the first deep cause of trouble,
L know Abby's taste, and know that tobacco
smoke is disgusting to her. Why, Ned as sure
as am alive, could not live in q house which
smelled SO strong of tobacco smoke as yours
does. Even last night had to open nv window
and sit by it half an hour to get a little sweet
air. have been blamed by my friends several
times because would not allow them to smok o
In my house. The smoke of a pine is a sure
sickness to my wife, and will not allow il.
NOW think of it. Think of your wife-with a
dellcate frame, more sensitive organization
than yours-coming into her kitchen and find
ing iour great, dirty men, putting out clouds of
nasty, filthy smoke, each Whit of which is enough
to sicken her and make her head ache. And
more, too; she knows that you are aware of her
wishes, for she has told them to you a hundred
time. When you are gone she sees the pines
laying upon her shelf With an aching head
and sickening soul she looks at them. and knows
that she must pass through the ordeal again and
again She is not herself-she is but a passion
and disgust wrought up by passion and tobacco
smoke-and she takes the filthy abomination
and breaks It at once. Now, tell me truly. Ned.
Ism t this the result Of your pipe2'
lie looked down upon the barn floor, but gave
no answer.-~-
" know it is" resumed, "and know that
II you would drop it you would restore peace. :"
stop, stop" he cried. /" / can't give up INV
pipe just to suit a woman's whim / won't be
tied down in that way"
: Then why not smoke out of doors?''
suppose 1T rains? And then what shall
do in winter? ?''
Why, if you must smoke in winter, let your
tobacco smoke gowhere you make all your other
smoke go. Stick your head into the fireplace
and smoke up the chimney"
Ned fairly smiled
In In earnest / added; for I can as
sure you your pipe smoke is as offensive to your
wife as the smoke of burning wood is to you.
put ask you candldly-how can you expect
ABBY to be happy when she is continually an
noyed by nuisance which is absolutely sick
ening to her, and that, too, when it could be
all remedied simply by your taking your pipe
out OF doors or into the woodhouse? And GER
talnly you cannot expect person to be pleas
ant when they are continually unhappy. Now
mark me, Ned, don't mean to say that you
are alone in the wrong, but ask you-Do you
love Abby well enough to forego a little comfort
OF an evil habit for her real good ~
Ned hesitated. He twice made up his mouth
to speak before he made out.
ls pipe offensive to your wife ?" he asked.
Not only offensive, but it is absolutely in
furious. She cannot be in room where an old
headache. used to smoke but at length be-
came so digusted with the stencil which per.
vaded my house, and moreover found thatmy
wife was so opposed to it, that l gave il up
Her mere fussing about the smoke would never
have moved me had not been assured that she
was really annoyed by it. And surely, 1
thought, if my wife must stay in the house
nearly all the time, and if her place of duty
must be there confined, will not, to CRAFTY a
mere whlm, make her suffer. used, after that,
to smoke out of doors, but IL was not always
convenient, and 1 gradually gave it up"
just at this moment one Of the neighbors
came In, and our conversation stopped
remained to dinner, and promised to call on
them again before l left town.
did 80 at the expiration Of n week. I then
walked out to Ned's place, and got there Just
after dinner, and 1 found him on the chopping-
block, smoking.
"Ha, Ned, . uttered, "havo you moved
your pipe?"
Don't say word" he replied, while a
dewy moisture gathered in his eyes. Ihaven't
smoked in the house since"
"And Abby ?'' said.
" / told her that very night that If she'd never
speak a cross word to me again, would never
allow another pipe to be smoked in our house.
And what did she say"
" She looked me in the face a moment-I
smiled-and then she burst out a crying She
hung around my neck-told me she'd done
wrong-begged me to forgive her-and-and-
we had regular scene. BY the powers she's
improved already"
"Ishould think she improved at once, =" said 1.
"Oh mean In health and looks She hasn't
had headache since.''
When Iwent in found Abby singing as
merrlly as lark, When she saw me, she
dropped her towel and started towards me-
She did not speak one word touching the joyful
turn affairs had taken beneath her roof; but
knew what that quick, warm grasp meant, and
L could read the language Of that glistening
tear.
/ went away shortly after that and in three
years from that time 1 visited L again.
My FIRST call this time was upon Ned Cruden,
and again / found him in his barn Never
moved friend to greet me more quickly.
"Ah," L said, as 1 took his hand, /" then
you We given up the pipe altogether"
"Who told you ?" he asked.
" You did, replied.
"Me-I told you?"
eyes with your breath. It doesn't smell as
1t did before"
What-and was 1t so bad ?'' Ned asked.
To tell you the truth, Ned, it was for if
there is anything that can make q repulsive
mouth, it is an old, black tobacco pipe"
"Then Abby told the truth. But I've done
with it now. Haven't touched q pipe for two
years"
"And don't you feel better?'
Don't II I'd like to see the man that could
hire me to go at il again"
We went up to the house, and the first look
told the story. The room was clean and sweet,
the walls white, and the hearth was free from
the filth Of tobacco spit. And Abby-ah, she
was Abby once more-Abby of old-happy and
joyous, and true as steel.
And as l sat and gazed upon the happy
couple, pondered upon that strange element
in human nature whichwill make misery and
discord more and more, rather than bow one
degree to simple reason. But the good DANES
merry voice soon dispelled my deep thought,
and I was content to know that in that home
at least the demon of discord had been exer-
ciscd by a very little spirit Of reason.-Fiag of
our Union.