Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-07-30
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HOW SMIKES STOPPED CHEWING.

HOW SMIKES STOPPED CHEWING.
Smikes made up his mind to stop chewing
| He never was much of chewer, anyhow, he
said He hadn't used tobacco but a few years
and rarely consumed more than an ounce pa
per in day But he feared the habit might
get hold of him and become fixed, and if there
was anything that he abhorred it WAS to see
a man become slave to bad habit. He
had used the weed some, to be sure, but there
had never been a time during the last ten
years when he could not stop at any moment
But so long as he did not become habituated
to its use ,4e did not care to stop. He could
break off at any minute, and it was great
satisfaction to feel So Thomson, he thought,
was an abject slave to his pipe. He pitied
Thomson, for he had seen Thomson try to
stop smoking several times, and fail ignomin-
iously every time he undertook it. But
Smikcs wanted to show his wife how easily he
could quit.
So Monday morning he remarked carelessly
to Samantha that he guessed he would stop
using tobacco. Samantha said she was glad
of it, and added, impetuously, what she had
never said before, that it was a vile habit.
Smikes appeared a little 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 about to take a
chew when he recollected himself, and plunged
out of the front door, forgetting his umbrella.
About half way to the office he met Jones,
with whom he was having some business
transactions. While they were taking the
thing over, Smikes got a tie enthusiastic,
and he almost reached the Office before he
noticed that he was rolling an uncomInonly
plump quid around his mouth like sweet
morsel. 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 impelled to re-
mark to himself that it was the easiest thing
in the world to stop chewing. He congratu-
lated himself again and again that day that
he did not become entangled in the meshes Of
the filthy vice. and he alluded to the matter
three or four times that evening at the tea
table, till Samantha marveled greatly at the
frmness 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 as easy" and her rever.
ence for the vrie strength and independence
of character of Snlikes glew like gourd
That night Smikes had the nightmare. He
thought that a legion of foul 6ends had got
him up ir corner of the back yard, and had
rolled upon him monstrous quid of ''fne
cut" as large around rs cart-wheel, and
that they were trying to force it into his
mouth smikes struggled vigorously, and
when Samantha shook him and asked what
was the matter, his only reply was that "any
body could stop chewing, if he only made up
his mind to-"
The next day Smikes was little nervous.
He told every body who came in what sim
pie thing it was to stop chewing. The third
day he harped about it 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 ejac'
ulated:
"Mr. Jenkins, when I make up my mind
to thing that is the last Of it,"
The fourth day. Smikes heard that camo-
mile blossoms were sometimes used as a sub
stitute for tobacco, and just out of curiosity
he devoured couple of ounces of them. He
said to the druggist when he bought them
that it was easy enough to stop the use of to-
bacco. On the fifth day, Smikes got sick.
His nerves gave out. He snapped something
at Samantha at the breakfast table, upset his
inkstand, burnt his fingers poking some Gin
ders out of the CRATE, and had no appetite for
dinner.
That day the devil whispered to Smikes
that tobacco was really beneficial to some tenn
peraments. Smikes had temperament of
the kind. The sixth day, Smikes felt like a
murderer. He seemed to himself to have be.
come transformed into Modoc His mouth
was dry and parched.
A stout, healthy.looking old gentleman
came into Smikes' Office that day. He was a
great friend of Smikes', and as he drew forth
his silver tobacco box and daintily shook out
small morsel of the pungent weed, Smikes
felt his mouth water He remarked to Mr..
johnson that he had not chewed any for six
DAYS, and that he had refrained so long just
to satisfy himself that any body could chew
or leave it alone He was fully satisfied that
it could be done, but he rather thought 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, remarked that he had chewed regu-
larly for thirty years, and didn't know as it
had damaged him any. AS Smikes rolled a
large quid back into his left cheek, he said he
thought there was difference in men. He
was satisfied that he could stop chewing at
any time, but there were some temperaments
to which gentle narcotic or opiate was really
blessing