The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-10-26
"Gifted Ia His Noses

The following is John Norton's-the
Old Trapper's-reason for not using
tobacco, in Mr.. Murray's Adirondack
story now running in the Golden Rule ::
Henry" said he, as he stood leaning
over the end of his boat, "you come
here and we will hist this boat into
camp. I dare say am an old fool, but
somehow I sorter feel that this lake
shore isn't quite the spot to leave an
honest mans boat on. / can remember
when to have done it would have cost q
man his boat and scalp, too, onless the
Lord marcifully kept his eyes open by
Dreams"
In moment the boat was placed
where the old man wished it, and setting
his back against It's side for support,
he unlaced his moccasins, and thrust
his smoking feet out toward the fire.
Taking pipe from my pocket, filled
it with choice brand of tobacco I had
in my pouch, and prohered it to him.
"Thank ye, thank ye, Henry" said
he, as he made a motion of rejection OF
the offer with his hand; 81 thank ye for
the kindness ye mean in your heart, but
if it be all the same to ye, won't take
it. know it is q comfort to ye, and 1
am glad to see ye enjoy it, but have
never used the weed; not tor the reason
that had O conscience in the matter,
but because the Lord gave me q nose
like hounds, and better, too, dare
say, for I doubt if hound knows the
sweetness of things, or can take pleasure
from the scent that goes into his nos.
trils. But He has been marciful to man
IL c1, 1>o
gave him the power to know good and
evil in the air; and smellin' has always
been one of my gifts. and couldn't
make you understand, dare cay, the
pleasure I have had in the right exer-
else of it. For you know that natur' is
no more bright to the eye than it is
sweet to the nose; and have never
found root or shrub or leaf that hadn't
its own scent. Even the dry moss on
the rocks, dead and iuiceless as it seems,
has smell to it, and as for the arth ]
love to put my nose into fresh sile, as
city woman loves the nozzle of her
smellin' bottle. Many and many q
time when alone here in the woods have
l taken my boat and gone up into the
inlet where the wild roses was in bios.
som, or down into some bay where the
white lily cups was all open, and sot il
my boat and smelt them by the hour
and wondered if heaven smelt 80. Yes
have been sartinly gifted in my nose
for have always noted that I smell
things that the men and women I was
guidin' didn't, and found things in the
air that they never suspicioned of, and
feared that smokin' might take away m,
gift, and that if I got the strong smell
of tobacco in my nose once I should
never scent any other smell that wa
lesser and finer than it. So have neve
used the weed, bein' sort of naterall.
Altered of it; but what is medicine fo
one man may be pizen for another, as
have noted in animils, for the bark tina
fattens the beaver will kill the rat; an
SO you must take no offense at what
have said, but smoke as much as yo1
feel moved to, and will scent the edge
OF the smell as it comes over my side @
the fire, and so we'll sort of jine works.
as they say in the settlements-you d
the smokin' and I will do the smellip
and think I've got the lightest end c
the stick at that" And the old ma
laughed in every line of his time wrir
kled face at the smartness of his saying