Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-20
THE VILE WEED.
How smikes stopped Chewing 20
baceO.

Smikes made uI his mind TO stop chewing
He never was much OF q cheWer, anyhow
he said, He hadn't used tobacco but q few
years. and rarely consumed more than al
ounce paper in day. But he feared the
habit might get hold OF him and become
fixed, ard if there was anything that be
abborred Et was 70 see 3 man be-
come slave to bad habit. He had
used the weed some, to be sure, but there
had never bean time during the last ten
years when ne could not stop at Sny mo-
ment. But so long as he did not become
habilu2ied to its use be did not care TO stop.
He could break off at any minute, and It
was a crest satisfaction to feel so.
Thompson, he though, was an alb
iecs slave to his pipe. He pi.ied
Thompson, for he had seen Thompson try
to stop smoking several titles, $nd Ezii K.
noiainiousiy every time he undertock it.
But Smikes wanted to show his Eifs how
easy he could quit. So one morning he
remarked carelessly to Samantha that he
guessed he would step using tobacco. Ss-
mgntha said she was glad Of It, and sdded,
impetuously, what she had never said
before, that 1t was vile habii. Smikes ap-
peared q little nervous aud confusad wiiee
Samantha said this, and mumbled out
something about being glad be had never
got into it himself. In his agitation le pull
ed out his tobacco box and was abont 10
take chew, when he tecollected Mmself,
and plunged OUT of tho front door, forgetting
his umbrella. About half way to the office
be met Jones, with whom he was
having some business transactio g.
over Smikas got lIttls enthusiastic, and he
had almost reached the Cttice before he no.
ticed that he was rolling an uDcommenly
plump ouid around his mouth like sweet
morsel. How it got there Smikes
did not know. He puzzled over that
little thing all the rest cf the forenoon, and
at last he took it out of bis mouth and
threw it awav, satisfied that he must have
taken it while talking with Jones.
Twice that afterroon Smikes took out bis
tobacco box ard looked st it. Once be
took off the cover and smell5d of the tobsc-
CO. 1t smelt SO good that Smikes felt i'm
pelle to remark to himself that 1t wss the
easiest thing in tie world to stop chewing.
He Congratulated himself again and again
that day tha- be did not become entaDgled
In the meshes of the filthy vice, and
he alluded to the matter three or
four times that evening, at the tes-table,
till Samantha marvelled greatly at the firm
ness of Smikes. Sh3 had already heard,
she said, that it was hard thing to leave
off But Smikes had told her, and kept
telling her, that it was 'just as easy" and
her reverence for the vi'ils strength and
independence Of character of Smikes grew
ike q gourd. That night Snikes
had the nightmare. he thought that 9
legion of foul fiends bad got him up in
corner of the back yard, and had rolled up
on him a monstrous quid of sine cut" as
large around as a cart-Wheei, and that they
were trying to force it into his mouth.
Smikes struggled vigorously, and when
Samantha snook him and asked what was
the matter, Lis only reply was that
''anybQdy could stop chewing if they only
made up their mind TO it." he next day
Smikes was little nervous. IL told every
body who came in what simple thing it
was to stop chewing. The third day be
barp2d about it all day long. he told
one man about It thres different times,
and when that iduch Informed individual
venture the opinion that he would be
chewing aOsn 10 less than week, Smikes
/ Indignantly calculated, Mr. jenkins, when
| make ND my mind to thirg that is the
laat of It," The fourth day Smikes heard
| that Lham0mile blossoms w-re sometimes
used as g substitute for tobacco, and jlst
cut OF curiosity he degoured couple OF
ounces of them. He said to the drug
gist when he bought them that il wa:
easy enough 10 etop the use OF tobacco
| On the fifth day Smikes got sick
| His nerves gave out. he snapped some
! thing at Samantha a. the breakfast tahi9,
upset bis inBstand, burnt his fingers pokina
| some cindes out OF the crate, and bad nc
appetite for his dinner. That day the devil
| Whispered TO Spikes tha, tobacco was real
! iy beneficial to some etemperaments. Smikes
| had temperament of that kind. The sixth
1ay Smikes felt like murderer. he
| seemed TO himself TO hive become trans
! formed into Modoe. His mouth was
Cry and parched. a stout, Eeathy-looking
! old gentleman came into Smikes' otilet
that day. He was friend OF Smlkes
| AMI as he drew forth his silver Tobacco
box and daintjly shook out small portion
| of the runsert weedj Smiles tet his
mouth water. He remarked to Mr. John
son tha. he had not ehewed any for siS
days, and that he had RETAINED so long j1st
to satisfy himself that anybody could chew
or leave it alone. He was fully satisfied
that it could be done, but he rather though
that his was one of those temPeraments
that are really acted upon in beneficial
way by the temperate use Of tobacco
Mr.. johnson said he Thought SO too
and as he handed Smikes his box, re
marking that he had che Sed regulaTl{ TO
thirty years, and didn'5 know as it had
damaged him any. As Smikes rolled
large quid back into his left cheek, he sai(
he thought there was grest difference il
men. He was satisfied that he could stol
chewing at any time. but there were som'
temperaments to which geatle narcotic o
oniate was really blessing.