Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1884-01-05
Quitting the Weed.

Dear reader, did you ever try to quit
smoking? Were you ever confirmed
and shackled slave to that delightful
vice and then tried 10 prove that You
were your own man? If you never did
you have missed an experience that
should come to every man at least once
in a lifetime. When yol first determine
to quit your are actuated by feeling OF
unsettled warmth about the PIT Of the
stomach, which is symptom Of dyspep-
sia and is directly induced by smoking.
You get along all right the first day,
your stomach feels all right, and, but for
!, sort Of confusion about the head. and a
free flow of saliva without provocation,
there is little to mark you as reformed
smoker. Along in the afternoon Of the
next day you begin to feel somewhat
queer, your work seems somewhat elu-
sive, your eyes are heavy and your
mcuth is terribly lonesomc-something
like poorhouse without an occupant or
a newly discharged convict who has
finished long term, with no allowance
for good behavior. Someone comes in
smoking Il seasoned briar root, or Il five
center, and the smell of it makes your
gorge rise, and yon wonder if you have
been for years intiicting such villainous
nuisance upon the family and the com
mInity. You realize that you have
been filthy brute and you are glad that
you have reformed. You go home to
supper, but unconsciously you are silet
and dumb. You kick the dog off the
walk and the cat instinctively fees.
The babies hover around, but you don't
appreciate them, and repulse them from
your knees When one finally makes a
Judgment on your lap ne seems to weigh
Il ton and his prattle is wearisome Jar
gon. You put him away with emphasis
and do your chores with stamping of
feet ard slamming Of doors. Supper is
.. gloomy and silent meal. Afterwards
yor try to read and are amazed to find
that you don't care who is appointed
chairman Of the committee on ways and
means, and if the solid south wants TO
take the government, why, let 'em have
government amt worth much any.
way, By and by you see an item about
how cigars are made in Cuba, and what
kind Grant smokes, and learn that some
extra fine lIavanas come as high as a
dollar, and it strikes you that they are
cheap enough. You drag yourself off to
bed on the plea Of headache and leave
mama to quiet as best she may the little
ones who are accustomed to have papa
take off their shoes. You don't go to
sleep, but lie still and inert and nerveless
till from sheer exhaustion your eyes
close and procession of fantastic
dreams goes by till morning The next
day is the same only worse. Everything
is out Of sorts but your appetite. You
could eat roast horse, and your hunger is
never satiated. You become q misan.
throp and begin to hate your wife and
children. But you won't give up. Oh,
no, YOU are no poor, weak coward who
can't control his appetite. And SO you
go on for week or ten days Of torture
Your only friend, your appetite, goes
back on you and demands oysters and
mushrooms ard wine. You begin to
feel sick AID you drop in on the family
doctor and tell him how you feel. He
bluntly says: GO to smoking. man
can do many worse things for his purse
and health than omit smoking" You
reflect and conclude that the fellows
who don't smoke are no better off than
the common run of other folks. You go
to cigar shop, buy dozen Of the best,
90 into your room or Office, light and
smoke one. Your first impression is
that it is worth while to quit week to
get such good taste into your mouth
You smoke two or three without stop
ping and the world resumes its normal
condition. The wife becomes amiable,
the babies lovable, and the dog meets
you at the gate.-Topcs in State Jour
nal.