Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-02-17

SdllieS.
tsiS pretty generally known. the smoking 0f
tobacco has a certain Intoxicating effect Ii
sootheS the nervous system. and "a cases of
poor living ii luliS the craving OF a hungrS
stomach without in any degree feeding the
animal system. Men who happen to be incl0Sed
In coal-mine. and are peI1shing for lack of
food. are stated TO ihaye protracted life by a
| few cOnSoling whiffS OF tobacco. In cases Of
| this nature smoking may be allowable as a
| positive necessity; but we can NOT perceive the
! slightest reason FOR this indulgence in ordin-
AIRY circumstances. As usually observed smo-
king is vice. like dram-driuking. 1t is taken
un In spirit OF idleness. without a vestige of
excuse. We need say little Of its waStefuiueSS
OF means. though that must be yeIy consider
I able. The Government duties alone exigible
on the tobacco used in the UOited Kingdom
amount 10 about s9.o09GGA annually: and in we
add the cost or the article the yearly tobacco
bill TO smokers probably reaches the sum total
OF S2attU.t"h. We have heard OF Instances OF
youths IN IashlonaDle life who yearly smoke
ESQ worth OF cigars, and doubtless there are
many whose outlay must be far greater.
Among the less atliuent classes the habtIal
expenditure on tobacco can not but encroach on
available means OF living. and often when the
outlay can he ill-spared Viewed as narcotic
tobacco may be presumed 10 be OF some value
medically, though we have never heard what
are It's actual merits Ia the phaTmacopPia.
What we specially draw attention TO are its
mSchieVouS effects on the youths growing into
manhood. Ii tends to weakening the intel
lectual system which. 10 all who have to make
their way III the world ought TO be exposed to
no such blighting influence.
1t is scarcely necessary 10 point ont the fact
tnat tobacco smoking nollllteS the breath, dam
ages the teeth. and weakenS the digestive or
cans In mol single feature, as a Common ~
dulGence. is ii commendable bIl! very much the
reverse. Ii disposeS to inactivity aud carele s.
ness. Few habitIIal smokers attain TO eminence
In business. Farmers given to smoking are US
ually The latest ia getting In their crops ASpuo-
ltcly exhibited. the practise is odoiIs. SlnoS
ing IN the streets has become downright nul-
sance, lor passengers are compelled TO inbale
the FUMES, whether OF cigars or pipes dSgorged
by smokers William Chambers.
Long DISTANCE WALklNG-Iong distance
Walking was imported from the United States
OF America, where it seems to have come into
existence about the time when negro slavery
was abolished. Perhaps in viewing the agOnies
OF halI-dead man staggering along track TO
the music Of a band, and much to the anxiety
OF doctor, the public found some compensa-
ton for the loss OF the privilege OF thrashing its
cayed long-dStance walking may naturally
have taken IFS place. Two men who have
walked four hundred miles in week are
almost as agreeable to look upon as two men
who have been pounding each others faces for
three hours with their fists. In the latter case
TO De sure, there is the fierce delight OF battle
Wncn every one can enjoy II he hardenS his
heart Long walking, on the other hand. is
scarcely more diverting than the slower tor
lures OF the lnquisition, which only began to
ailord the spectator entertainment after the
tlcllGl mad suffered for some considerable time
AS long as long-distance walker Is toerabIy
llesn, and going within himself. there is little
escltement In watching him. 1t is about the
MI day tnat SleepleSSneSS and fatigue tell on
MIN, and the sport begins. He limps along. sui
ielihig lpIinehtS from fostering heel. His
brain Is belnused with exceeding toll. and as he
siaggerS mechanically round it Is said that GU
rlOus visions beguile him. He does not see the
GIoNu winch StareS smokes and drinks. He
does not hear the music which mixes in a
dream OF his past life.
II ii is revolving TO think OF civilized men
looking looking on with eager delight upon this slow
torture or one OF their own sex. What SHAH be
SAID OF the spectacle when il Is a woman who
uilueISoeS lhe torment and supplies the zest?
hnd yel VINO can question the accuracy OF the
.eruct tnat IN all these cases the keenneSS OF
lilt enjoy nent felt by the spectators really de-
ponds upon the keennesS OF the suffering en-
duied?-tLo'don Saturday Rerie,r.
BELIEF THAT WOMAN WHO DIED IN PRISox
Mas INNoCENT.-A dispatch from Boston is as
follows: There is strong reason for the sun
position that Mrs. Nancy MADAM. who died In
East Cambridge jail last week. thus ending a
ire sentence for the murder OF Obcdah Jones'
was innocent or the crime. She was formerly
IN Dedham jail. but was transferred 10 East
Cambridge In 1871. During all her inprIson-
ment she mas persistently maintained her inno-
cence, and reiterated the statement a few min
ut@S before she died. On one occasion when
she supposed herself alone, she was overheard
ny one OF the matrons OF the prison praying
ana the whole burden OF her suppiication was
as God knew her innocence. ii might be made
manifest. On the Sunday before her death at
tlic Sefslce In the prison chapel, she recited
from memory ChriSUS sermon on the Mount
ana she frequently expressed her forgiveness OF
all who had been concerned i'm her trial and
cobIlctlon. Her conduct during her lmprfson-
ment was admirable, and her attention 10 What
Sne considered her religious duty was constant
ana UNMARRIED. AT the trial il was shown that
the daughter, upon whose evidence she was
convicted, was OF bad character, and had been
living with the man, Obediah Jones' who was
murdered, and the presumption is that the
mother had no motive for the crime The
uaughter has never visited her in prison 1t is
canned That other facts are in the possession OF
the authorities which go far towards proving
that the woman who has now ended her life
in prison was innocent
SHE ASKED TO FLOAT WITH BoYToN.-The
PittSburg Leader OF February says that among
the many applications to embark With Boyt0n
in his swim down the Allegheny river was one
from Mrs. S. Connors. She said she was a
water. for she was In the laundry business: the
uncOuth rubber suit would suit her aud the big
paddle had no terror for her She was moi
afraid OF the ice nor the river nor the whrl-
pools. She was married woman and used TO
all kinds OF calamitieS. When told that the only
LADY VINO ever accompanied BoyJon reached
shore corpse, she merely said that the woman
lacked grit. Boyton listened carefully TO the
arguments and reserved his decision
re Chicago temperance committee reports
that not one Methodist Episcopal Church and
very few Others in that City now Use fermented
wine for communion.
eF-.'My boy, YOU wanted to be a lnesSen-
ger-youll soon be one LoE, said Matt % Bren.
a Columbus {Ga.) express messenger. a. he
clasped In his arms his SON fatally Injured by
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