St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-11-13
King Tobacco.

What detestable tyrant King To-
baccO is His dominion extends over
all the world, and all his subjects are
slaves. He wears very winning face
when he first aims at conquest, and
lures the unwary by smiling prom
Use, that they find at last, with "brain
enfeebled and will enslaved," to be a
wicked lie. Still they yield and fol-
low, and no tyrant that ever lived had
so many sacrifices made to him by his
dupes or treated them worse.
Boys begin their slavery to tobacco
very secretly. They know the evil of
indulgence i'll its use, notwithstanding
the example of their elders, and slyly
sneak away, ut first, and, by an occa-
siOnal nibble or two, or Il whiff or two,
become accustomed to it's use, when
they come ont fully prepared for King
TObacco's service, and smoke like
young locomotives.
In our schools is that practiced far
more than is known, and parents often
are called to wonder where their sons
acquired such habit. And this leads
to the story of Arthur Grimes, who
was not bad boy by any means, as
boys go, but who, in the sly way de-
scribed, had become quite a smoker,
and had begun to nibble a little at
tobacco in its most repulsive form.
There is sort of divided taste among
the subjects of King tobacco; many of
those who smoke are disgusted with
those who choose to chew, and those
who choose to chew are mnrtally of
Tended with those who smoke. So Ar
thur Grimes was bent on obtaining
both accomplishments, and thus pro-
vide against liability to trouble. He
had got so far along that he carried
his short pipe and cake of tobacco in
his pocket and was regarded as a boss
boy by his younger associates, who
hoped to he able, by and by, to be
equally distinguished.
Arthur was the son of a widowed
mother-his father having been killed
at Gettysburg an uncle who
owned IA large farm in the country of
fered to take him and make a farmer
of him; to which the mother gladly
assented. and the hoy, about fourteen
years old, made no objection. His un-
Gle he knew to be "A very fine man, and
his aunt and cousins, the latter all
girls, he liked very much, having pre-
viously been, many times during vaca-
tions, at the farmhouse and had a
good time. His little chest was accord
ingly packed, and, though the parting
with his mother was rather sad-for
| they were fond of each other-he
mounted the seat with the driver, who
had been sent for him, for the ride of
twenty miles, with Il hopeful heart, as
the day was pleasant, in the spring OF
the year.
The driver was subject of King
Tobacco. After starting, he took out
his pipe, and seriously cutting off some
tobacco from IA .'plug," he rammed it
into the bowl, then lighted a match
and proceeded to smoke, paying no
attention to his young companion, who
had been copying him by loading up
for smoke.
"Give us light" said voice by
his side.
The man started aud looked round
at his Young passenger with much sur
prise. Arthur held his pipe hidden by
his hand.
"Now p said the driver.
"Give us lightr' repeated Arthur
showing his pipe.
'What, yOu smoke 7"
'.Yes, don't you 2"
"WeIl, | do but Pm some older than
YOU
''Then if it is bad, You ought to dc
better than smoke
''Yes-I now-but-well, here's 9
match if yOu want it"
! The man was evidently half ashamed