Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-03
How Smikes stopped Chewing Tobacco.

How Smikes Stopped Chewing Tobacco.
smikes made up his mind to stop chew
;nr He never was much of a chewer,
anIbow. he said. lie hadn't used tobacco
hri few wears, and rarely consumed more
than an ounce paper in a day. But he
feared the habit might get hold of him
and become fixed, and if there was any
thinr that he abhorred it was to see a man
become a slave to a bad habit He had
rscd the weed some, to be sure, but there
had never been time during the last ten
wears when he could not stop at any mo-
ment. But so long as he did not become
babituated to its use he did not care to
stop. He could break off at any minute,
and it was a great satisfaction to feel so.
Thomson, he thought, was an abect slave
to his pipe. He pitied Thomson, for he
had seen Thomson try to stop smoking
several times, and fail ANONYMOUSLY every
time he undertook it. But Smikes want
ed to show his wife how easy he could
quit
So Monday morning he remarked care
lessly to Samantha that he guessed he
would stop using tobacco. Samantha said
she was glad Of it, and added impetuous
", what she had never said before, that it
was vile habit. Smikes appeared lit
tie nervous and confused when Samantha
said this, and mumbled out something
about being glad he had never got into it
himself. In his agitation he pulled out
his tobacco-boX and was just about to take
a chew when he recollected himself and
plunged out of the front door, forgetting
his umbrella. About half way to the of
inc some business transactions While
they were talking the thing over, Smikes
got a little enthusiastic and he almost
reached the office before he noticed that
he was rolling an uncommonly plump
Quid around his mouth like a sweet NOR
sci. How it got there Smikes did not
know. He puzzled over that little thing
all the rest of the forenoon, and at last he
took it out Of his mouth and threw it
away, satisfied that he must have taken it
while talking with Jones
Twice that afternoon Smikes took out
his tobaCco-bOx and looked at it. Once
he took off the cover and smelled of the
tobacco, 1t smelt so good that Smikes
felt impclled to remark to himself that it
was The easiest thing in the world to stop
chewing. He congratulated himself again
and again that day that he did not become
ent3nglcd in the meshes of the filthy vice
and he alluded to the matter three or four
times that evening at the tea-table, till Sa-
mantha marvcled greatly at the firmness
OF Smikes She had always heard, she
said, that it was hard thing to leave off
But Smikes had told her, and kept telling
her, that it was Just us easy" and her
reverence for the virile strength and indie
pendenCC Of character Of Smihes grew
like gourd.
That night Smikes had the nightmare
He thought that a legion of foul fiends had
got him up in a corner Of the backyard
and had rolled upon his belly monsIrous
quld OF 'tine-cut," as large around as "a
cart-wheel, and that they were trying to
force it into his mouth Smikes struggled
vigorously, and when Samantha shook
him and asked him what was the matter,
his only reply was, that anybody could
stop chewing if he only made up his
mind to it." The next day Smikes was a
little nervous. He told everybody who
came in what simple thing it was to stop
chewing. The third day he harped about
1t all day long. He told one man about it
three different times, and when that much
informed individual ventured the opinion
that he would be chewing again in less
than week, Smikes Indignantly ejacu-
lated: Mr. Jenkins, when | make up my
mind 70 a thing that is the last of it :"
The fourth day Smikes heard that
camomlle blossoms were sometimes used
as substitute for tobacco, and just out
OF curiosity he devoured a couple OF
ounces Of them. He said to the druggist
When ne bought them that it was easy
enough to stop the use of tobacco. On
The nth day Smikes got sick. His nerves
gave out He snapped something at
samantha at the breakfast table, upset his
nNstand, burnt his fingers poking some
Chders out of the CRATE, and had no appe-
tie for dinner.
That day the devil whispered to Smikes
that tobacco was really beneficial to some
Compartments. Smikes had a tempera-
nleht OF the kind The sixth day Smikes
leLl Ike murderer He seemed to him
sen 70 have become transformed into a
N,ooc His mouth was dry and parched.
y stout, healthy-lo0king old gentleman
amt mo Smlkes' office that day. lie was
great friend of Smikes', and, as he drew
forth his silver tobacco-box and daintily
slook out small mOrsel of the pungent
weed, Smikes felt his mouth water. He
'1"aFhed to Mr.. johnson that he had not
ene"ed any for six DAYS, and that he had
NAMED 50 long just to satisfy himself
I II an body could chew or leave it alone.
I was luIly satisfied that it could be
,'''' oQt he rather thought that his was
a@.. v, NOSE temperaments that are really
n C,1o upon IN beneficial way by the tenn
e'".c Use OF tobacco Mr.. johnson said
Sr,r I.ooght 50 too, and as he handed
cba ,NeS his box remarked that he had
dj5 I"4 l. regularly for thirty years, and
A, ,'; 1ho" as it had damaged him any.
his I T't. '$ rolled large quid back into
Wa .', j.. eheek he said he thought there
fed ,I inference in men He was salts
tine 'i Il.. ne could stop chewing at any
Ia yrL; %I' 'here were some temperaments
regrY,. 's Ia a gentle narcotic or opiate was
" OIeSSlng.-Sautogian.