Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-04-30
A JOLLY TIME.

fence one day, talking about this, that
and the other, when Lawrence Heath
rode by, smoking q cigar. Lawrence
was home from college, spending his
vacation, and as he put on q good many
airs and told wonderful stories about his
college exploits, he was looked upon by
the smaller boys as model of young
gentleman.
Most of them were secretly longing
for the time to come when they could do
just as he did. Ii they ever succeeded
in coming up to his standard, they felt
as if their highest ambition would be
gratiied.
"It looks nice to smoke, doesn't it ?"
said Dick.
eyes; 1 think so" answered Johnny.
"I'd like to try it, wouldn't you?"
eyes; but / don't dare to-'round
home, any way" answered Dick. "I
don't know what father d say if he caught
me smoking. You know he thinks it's
such foolish habit.
$50 does my father" said Johnny.
"Says it's foolish, and unhealthy, and
expensive, and so on-you know how it
is, for your father talks just like him. l
uCdIo luCin OnCS, NnCA t1Cg paw OLAJ
Mason with pipe"
Lawrence Heath says all the boys in
his school smoke" said Dick. "They
laugh at them there if they don't. And
he says it's all nonsense about it's being
unhealthy. He says he couldn't get
along without his cigars, and they help
him when he has to study hard, and 1
suppose he's tip-top scholar. don't
believe all they say against tobacco.
How does your father and mine know
that it's such awful stuff? They never
used it."
"That's just it % responded Johnny.
"They've read about it, and heard some
old fogy's lingo against it, and they take
it for granted that it's all so. Now I'm
more liberal than that / don't believe
in believing anything just because some
one says it, and it happens to be what
you want to believe. Now 1don't think
it hurts a man to use etobacco-that is. OF
course, to use it moderately. know
lots of men who've used it for years, and
/ can't see that they're any worse of
than those who don't use it.
"Nor T." said Dick. "When I get
to be a man I mean to smoke"
$50 do T." said Johnny. "Young
men almost all smoke nowadays. It's
the fashion, and 1 think it looks nice. -
"And / think it looks nice to carry a
cane" said Dick. "But my father says
that's foolish, too. What does young
man need of cane p he says. IF a
fellow don't know what to do with his
hands unless he has stick to play with,
he'd better keep 'em in his pocket 7 he
says"
"Tll tell You what let's do, proposed
Johnny. "Saturday we'll buy us q
couple of pipes and five cents worth OF
tobacco, and we'll go somewhere and
have good time smoking. What dye
"Tn do it." said Dick. "You buy
the pipes and I'll furnish the tobacco. y
"All right !" said Johnny. "Let's
see-to-day's Thursday. I'll meet you
in the old barn over in the Greek
Meadow, Saturday, after dinner. Nc
one,n see us there, and we'll have just
a Jolly time r
So it was decided that on Saturday
afternoon they would take their first
lesson in the manly and fashionable art
of smoking.
Saturday came. In the morning Dick
made some sort of an excuse to go to the
village. His real errand was to pur.
chase tobacco. On his way down, he
met Lawrence Heath, and, as usual, he
had cigar in his mouth.
"I know what I'll do" said Dick to
himself. "I'll buy two cigars and sur.
prise Johnny. Cigars are nicer than
pipes, anyway"
So he went into store where there
was cigar and tobacco stand, and lung
about until there was no one but him.
self and the clerk in.
The truth was he felt little ashamed
about what he was doing, and he didn't
have the courage to ask for his cigars
when any one he knew was likely tc
hear him.
"I'll take couple of cigars, if you
please" he said, walking up to the
clerk.
"What kind'll You have ?" asked the
clerk.
ell don't know" answered Dick
"I-I'm not much used to EN-"
The clerks eyes twinkled at this.
"Well, here are strong ones and milt
Ones" he said. "Do you want five
center, or q better grade?'
"I1l take the best" said Dick, ini
tating Lawrence Heath's style,