National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-06
cRusAD1sa AT HOME.
/ REFoRMED HUsBANp.s Aooot

i b. u. over, In the Cneisea Public, relates
the particulars Of hts conversion from the use Of
j tobacco and rum 10 the odor Of sancsity through
the determined efforts OF his ArabeIls. He says:
lam, a. you know, . itrong prohibirionist. I
am In favor of closing every rumshop Sundays
and IS early as p. m. week days. Ths. gives all
persons time to purchase what they want orhome
| Consumption and the communion service, and pre-
vents the poor laborer from spending bis money
and evenings in these dens Of iufsmy. can get
| along we'll enough without drinking At . bar I
therefore favor stringent measures, So far, 80
good. Arnbslla has never objected tony partak-
ing Of light wines OF porter. It nevsr hurts me.
know Thsu to stop Il exhilarates, but never
intoKicates ne. Arsbells has somettnes lnti-
mated that was ovsr-eKcited; but thst Is just
| like roman-thsy always imagine the ~orst.
knew better. However, ArabeIla wanted me to
go with her TO hear Mrs. Kicker Monday evening.
I had an engagement at tho club but told hsr she
| the meeting. 1 got there just as the crowd were
coming out. found Arabella In the Vestihule
She gszed at mo with severe scrutiny.
"Benjamir, throw away your cigar"
"why, my dear, said I, - Pve just litit."
"Benjsmin," she said solsmniy, - unless You
throw swuy that cigar cannot walk with you."
why Arabella," I said, generously yielding
| whats the matter nowf"
"You mustn't smoke any more. Benjamin." said
she, softening and taking my arm, as We directed
our steps honeward. ..
"Why not, my lover" i
"Becauss it's. wicked. Oh, Benjamin, such q
lovely discoursei What horrid creature man is!''
awful" L assented-
benjamin" said she, suddenly Withdrawing
her arm from mine, "you've been drinking"
"Nonsense, my love" said ]. hastily putting
q Glove In my mouth, for we did break . bottle OF
champagne at tho club. "Soms sweet cider at
Tom Greeley's, that's all"
benjamin. we've both been very, very wicked.
Oh, If you could only have heard Mrs. Kicker.
She told Just what dirty, miserable, filthy erea-
| turs man Is" g..
"what did she say about the women, my dear7''
"She said that women are ministering spirits"
$50 are rumsellers, my love-to> any that can
pay for their spirits. What else did she sayfn
"She said that tobacco Is Just as bad as rum
| and so II is, Benjamin"
"Some Of It Is great deal worse, my dear"
said L
"And she advised women to have nothing to do
with men who used 1t. She said that no woman
ought to live with her husband If he persisted In
| iamn."
| "But, Arabella, my love-"
"No, I won't hear any excuses" she interrupte
as We entered the house, you've got to quit,
right of-new. Come, promise me you will, won't
you, Benjamin." she added coaIIngly.
| "But I'm not smoking now, little Arab"
"You know what mean. want you to prom
i ise-noU-this instant-hefore take my things
| off,"
"Nonsense, my lover said I. "Don't be foolish
Come, get my slippers and . match. and sit down
and finish that necktie that am to wear to-mor-
row night"
And took out my cigsr-ease and flung myself
into my favorite chair. But Arsbells wasn't to
be suppressed in that way. She stood before me
III Nz.H-
solved as the Parca.
"Mr. Over" she said, in firm accents, " I am
determined. You must stop this beastly habit,
now and forever. Mrs. Kicker is right 1t is
woman's heavenly mission to redeem the fallen
and degraded creature, man. She must purge
him Of all those vile habits OF intemperance and
tobacco-uslng, and so make him at to mate with
her pure and angelic nature And it is in her
i own home that she must commence the work. It
is upon those that We love and that love Us that
tho reform should be first wrought. Nor will I
shIrk my duty. I am resolved to live no longer
with man who drinks and smokes. You must
solemnIy promise never to smoke another cigar,
. or"
"Or what, Arabella 2" anxiously asked,
"Or I'll go home and live with papa.
Now Considering that PoddIesbZ Is regular
old smoke-stack, and that b enews about five
pounds Of %It sossi9 10, method 4 {sie
: nation QlQn't look exactly consistent When
reminded her Of this fact she sank down into q
chair and began to cry. couldn't stand that. ]
, ran to soothe her. Promised to promise her any;
thing. I dtsea her % fsssess Eel tears, and
, thoughtlessly began to kiss them away. She
started up with gesture Of disgust.
! "Penjamin, You have been dlI1king"
'tOniy d little Sweet cider at Tom'G
Don't tell me- Benjamin, she said, assuming
an attitude Of solemn warning, "you are prepar
ing yourself for drunkard's grave. The horrible
pit already yavns beneath yoer feet"
"Let her yawn," piously said. "I'm sleepy
myself"
benjamin, you're brutel" and she again COM
menced to cry. Touched, again essayed to
soothe her. $50 away. You're q cross old thing
You want to mako me miserable" I earnestly
assured her had no such desire. sought only
her happiness. What should 1 do to prove lit
said I'd promise anything.
promise me, Benjamin, you won't smoke an,
more"
"welr, my dear, won't-for q week"
"No, you must promise forever"
Well, the upshot of 1t was that had to prom
Use. This was three days ago, and 1 haven't
broken it yet. 1t isn't such a great deprivation
But pretend it is, to her. 1t mngnifies hersens
of victory, and my selfsacrince.
THE LIGHTYLNG-R0D M4VS MIS-,
.r TAKE.
Up In Blossburg the other dey lightning rod
man drove up in front Of a handsome edIhce
, standing in the midst Of trees and shrubs, and
spoke to Mr.. Summers, who was sitting on the
steps in front. Ho accosted Summers Us the owner
of the residence, and said
al see you have no lightning rods on this
house."
"No," said Summers.
"Are you going to put any ONT"
"Well, hadn't thought of it," replied Sum-
mers.
You ought to. A tall building like this Is very
much exposed. I'd like to run you up one of my
rods-tUisted steel, glass tenders, nickel-plated
tips-everything complete. May I put up one to
show youf I'll do the job cheap"
Certainly you may, if you want to. 1 haven't
the slightest objection" said Summers.
During the next half hour the man had his
ladders up and his assistants at work; and at the
end of that time the job was done. He called
Summers out into the yard to admire 1t. He said
to Summers:
SNOW, that is all we'll enough; but, If it was
!, my house, I'd have another rod put on the other
side There is nothing like being protected thor
oughIy."
ssThass true, said Summers; sit would be bet.
ter"
; "rII put unother-shaIl II" asked the man.
"why Of course, If you think it's bcst," said
Summers.
, Accordingly, the man went to work again, and
soon had the rod In Its place.
That's o irst-rate job, /" he said to Summers
as they both stood cycling 1t. 81 like such a man
as you are-big hearted, LIBERAL not afraid to put
q dollar down for o good thing. There's some
pleasure in dealin' with you, I like you so much
that I'd put couple Of more rods on that house,
one on the north end and one on the south, for al
most nothing"