River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-03-01
Why He Didn't Smoke

during which some male friends of the |
family dropped in. The boys with |
drew with the backgammon-box into |
The recess of the bay window at the |
end of the room, and the gentlemen
went on chatting about the most i'm |
portant matters of the day, politics,
etc. Still apparently enjoying the
game, the boys yet kept their ears
open, as boys will, and taking their
CT a the sentiments expressed by
their elders, endorsed one or the other
as they happened to agree with them.
"Gentlemen. will you smokel" asked
/ Mr.. Benedict, the host. A simalta-
neous "thank you" went round and
smile of satisfaction lighted all faces
but one. Not that he was gloomy, or
a drawback on the rest, but his smile
was not one of assent. A box of cigars
was soon forthcoming, costly and fra
grant, as the word goes.
"Fine cigars, said one, as he held
it to his nose before lighting. what,
Lintoni you don't smoke!"
I'm happy to say do not" was
the firm rejoinder.
"Well, now, you look like smoking
man, jolly, care-free, and all that. I'm
quite surprised" said another.
owe are hardly doing right, are
we," asked a acknowledged man,
who pulled away heartily, 40 smoke
in the parlor | concede that much to
my wife's dislike of the weed. She
makes great ado about the curtains,
you know"
| ssEnr my fhaf.c rnoftar 7
don't trouble myself about said the
host, broadly. There's no room in
this house too good for me and my
friends to smoke in. My wife has al.
ways understood that, ssand she yields,
of course"
"But you don't know how it chokes
her." said young Hal Benedict, soto
voce. ''Nes, indeed, it gets all through
the house, you know, and she almost
always goes into Aunt Nellie's when
there are two or three sm oking. There
she goes now," he added, as the front
door shut.
"Why, it's absolutely driving her
out of the house, isn't it!' asked
Johnny. "Too bad -
"Why don't you smoke, Dalton 2"
queried one of the party So fraid of
it! Given it up lately 1t don't agree
with some constitutions"
"Well, if you want to know why |
don't smoke, friend JAY" was the
answer. Il viii tell you. respect
my wife too much"
"Why, you don't mean''-stammer-
ed his questioner-
81 mean simply what | said. When
| married, was addicted to the use
of cigars. 1 saw that the smoke an
noyed her, though she behaved with
the utmost good taste and fOrbearance
and / cut down my cigars so as to
smoke only when going and returning
from business. | then considered
what my presence must be to a deli
cate and sensitive woman, with breath
and clothes saturated with the odor,
and began to be disguised with N.Y.
self, so that finally | dropped the hab-
it, and can't say I'm sorry"
81 shouldn't be, know said an
other, admiringly. ''I'm candid
enough to own it, and | think your
wife ought to be very much obliged to
you"
son the contrary, it is who ought
to be obliged to my wife," said Mr..
Dalton, while the host smoked on in
silence, very red in the face, and evil
IDENTIFY wincing under the reproof that
was not meant.
Il say that Dalton's brick" wills.
pered young Benedict, as he swept his
men off the board first.
Giles splendid % supplemented
Johnny, who was thinking his own
thoughts while the smoke was really
getting too much for him, and present
ly he took his leave.
The next day Johnny was thought
full, so quiet, indeed. that everybody
noticed it, and in the evening, when
his father lighted his pipe with its
strong tobacco, Johnny seemed on
thorns.
81 can't think that you don't respect
mother, he blurted out, and then his
face grew the color of scarlet fan
mel.
"What do you meant" asked his ia
ther, in a severe voice. Il say, what
do you mean, sir?"
Because mother hates smoke so;
because it gets into the curtains and
carpet-and-and because | heard Mr..
Dalton last night give as reason that
he did not smoke that he respected
his wife too much"
'Pshaw! Your mother don't mind
my smoking-do you mother" he
asked, jocularly, as his wife entered
] just then.
"Well-I-I used to rather more
than do now. One could get accus-
toned to anything, suppose. so / go
on the principle that what can't be
cured must be endured"
| gsNnnconc Of Won Ennm L pOuld ctOn
tomorrow, if wanted to-, he laugh
ed.
s'But you won't want to-" she said,
softly.
don't know whether Johnny's ia
ther gave up the weed-most likely not;
but if you want to see what really came
of it, will give you peep at the fol-
lowing paper, written some years ago,
and which happens to be in my posses
sion:
81 John Lord, of I'd mind do make
this first day of January, 1861, the fol-
lowing resolutions, which ]. pray God
may keep:
First. l will not get married till
own house, for | expect Uncle
Henry Lake win give me one, one of
these days, because my mother says he
will.
Second. | will never swear, because
it is silly as well as wicked.
"Third. | will never smoke, and so
make myself disagreeable to every one
who comes near me and | will Away
keep these words as my motto after
am married:
"'I don't smoke, because l respect
my wife, Mr.. Dalton said that, and
will never forgetit.
[Signedl etc, Etc.
Isn't that boy, all over! But Johnny
kept bis word like hero.
The merry jingle of the sleigh. bells,