Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-21
GRACE GREENVooD's KISS.
IT TAKES A GENIUS LIKE GEORGE
SAND TO BE A SMOKER.
The Effect of Tobacco Smoke Upon
Sensitive Nerves-Do You
Perceive 1t?


Perceive 1t?
Several years ago, when Mrs. Lippin-
colt was on this coast, she visited little
inland town, near which | was living on a
ranch, doing the Maud Muller act (proba-
bly). She had known member of nv
family in Washington, in her younger
days, as poet and literary man, for whom
she cherished fond recollection, which
perhaps inspired the desire to see what
sort of an offshoot / was. l received from
her kind note, naming the day and hour
when she hoped to see me.
Living in the town was bright, chirpy
little woman, for whom / had conceived
quite liking, and at whose house was in
the habit of making my stops, removing
my duster and arranging my "brown locks
before presenting myself to the good people
of the town.
Upon this occasion we were having a
more than usual spirited time over the
merits of new book, and both deter
mined to have the last word. Her son, an
embryo hoodlum, made his appearance in
our midst, with cigar sticking out of his
pocket. Dropping the subject that to me
was of the most interest, with true vir-
tuous instinct she began:
Charlie, what are you going to do with
that cigar?"
He answered, "Nuthin'," with his hands
up to his elbows in his pockets
Say, Charlie, throw it away, dear"
Don't want TOP
'But you must, Charlie"
81 say | won't; it looks nice"
Charlie, mind me noww
Tired of this interruption, | walked over
to the youngster and plucking the cigar out
of his pocket struck match and began to
smoke, only intending to take few VIII ifs
in order to establish my possession, and
then destroy the article.
Resuming the subject of discussion, l
was soon entirely lost in the heated debate
which followed with my friend.
All at once | became aware that the
room was dim with smoke, and only an
inch of the cigar remained in my fingers.
simultaneously we two started for the
door.
| fell fiat, paralyzed-yea, dying, l
face and cold drops stood out from every
pore. The floor was whirling around so
fast that l clasped my hands to save nv
head from colliding with the door. Then
the table was coming. All Dakota
cyclone was never more dreadful, and the
true depth of suffering | felt at this little
seance must be experienced to be fully APP
preciated.
D,,t IL, IL
so the end came. AMI when | stood upon
the floor one hour later, to view the per-
feet wreck of my scattered self, | saw far
out in one corner my collar and watch !;
my pin, switch and hairpins, and tangled
lot they were. Solemn thoughts swelled
my breast, and with mental resolve to be
god-like the balance of my life, | was
about to leave the house with satisfied
feeling that, after all, did not look any
worse for my little spree, when suddenly
my nervous little friend cried out:
Oh, my Mrs. Lippincott will smell
the smoke"
What on earth are you talking about?'
/ asked.
Have not my clothes been aired and
bucketfuls of water been poured over my
headY
She said something about sensitive
nerves, and followed it up with parting
shot 1t takes genius like George Sand
to be a smoker"
| settled my turban on my head, buttoned
up my jacket and sticking my thumbs in
the pocket ran down the leaf-strewn walk.
The little footpath was edged with brown
grass, and there was a richness of autumn
landscape that l loved, but | walked hur-
riedly on, nor dared look from the little
bridge swung across the creek which car
ried the past waters of the MILL" lest |
should be again tempted from straight
course to the house. where / knew Mrs.
Lippincott was awaiting tardy visitor.
The servant answered my inquiries. and
said Mrs. Lippincott would see me in her
room, not feeling well enough to come
down.
[ found Grace Greenwood costly ar
ranged among the pillows. She extended
her white hand with bright look of well
come in her eyes. stopped down to kiss
her, when, all at once, the lingering of
odors around a broken vase occurred to me.
The kiss was whack, and we flew apart
like two suspended balls that violently
collide. The muscles of her lips were sud-
denly drawn tight, and | retreated with
the feeling that | had kissed pair of
steel tongs
/ had entirely forgotten that miserable
cigar until that moment, and like guilty
thing | sought the most remote chair,
which was far back in the bow window.
But all the talk was crushed out of me.
She evidently shared my sincere embarrass-
ment. Smoothing over the soft silk quilt,
she would now and then gather it up in
her hands and fold and crease it, and then
smooth it out again, her thoughts evidently
distracted. grew cold and hot by turns.
was sure she had discovered the smoke,
and that her sensitive organization had
received shock; perhaps she was even
becoming sick, sick as | had been.
could have clutched my face in my
hands and have cried out in my shame
Finally as if she could endure it no
longer, Mrs. Lippincott touched bell at
the head Of the bed. When the servant
came she asked her to open the window,
from viii ch she insisted l should move, lest
the draught should give me cold Tor watt
the odor to her, mentally added.
What should / do? Jump out of the
window and run? | felt like it. The
feeling of embarrassment had evidently run
so high between us that the tension had
to be loosened, and presently she turned
to me again and extended her hand, with
the honest confession that she had been
smoking, and when she sent for me to come
TO her room she had forgotten 1t until l
kissed her. She added, "Do you perceive
it? and will it make you sick?'
| could have fairly screamed with laugh
ter under the sense of relief, but | had not
the honesty of Grace Greenwood to con-
fess. Then | remembered the words
of my friend, at takes genius like George
Sand to smoke" To this day the dear old
lady does not know but that my embarrass-
ment was the result of her indiscretion.
NAMoUNA.