St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-16
MENTAL ANGUISH.
st. James Budget.

bridge III the tlual Train tOr fOlKeSlOne.
''rhey are strong," lie replied, "but
they are uncommonly good. Won't you
try one?" and he opened his case, which
was filled with the strongest of strong
Trichinopoli cigars.
But ] declined. The essential oil
seemed to be oozing out of them; they
were black and shiny.
"They must be stronger than the
strongest pigtail," remarked.
''They are strong, and that's the
TRUTH" said the man with the immense
beard who had offered me the cigar !;
''but they are the only weed can
taste. | wished hadn't smoked so
much" he said with groan, "lt's been
my great misfortune"
you must have smoked very eXpen-
sive cigars them . / said with laugh.
1T wasn't the value of the cigar that
once ruined me-" SAID the bearded man:
lit was my cursed habit of smoking"
Il don't quite see how it could have
ruined you" said l incredulOusly.
Don't you," said the bearded man.
"rhen I'll tell you how it came about.
9TH be rather relief to me to tell
het story. ''I'm a DOCTOR" he began.
81 didn't see that there was much good
to be done by young doctor in Eng
land-competitlOn among us medlcOs is
very keen here, and young man in the
profession who hasn't money has little
or no chance, so l went off to America
to seek my fortune. You can get a
good cigar in America: you have to pay
for it, but you can get a good cigar. l
did fairly well in New York. l took an
office. as they call it, in the business
part of the town. saw patients from 9
till 4, and [ advertised the fact in the
newspapers, as is the custom In America.
Il smoked all day long; used even
to smoke at meals, and | smoked while
| saw my patients. They were all men
so it didn't matter. My income eX-
ceeded my expenditure; mad crowds
of friends, and was perfectly happy
till met Aurea Van Spool, q young
lady from Indiana. She was the love-
Hest girl ever saw in my life; a bru-
nette with great masses of blue black
hair with wave in it, great glorious
black eyes that set your heart going
pit-a-pat when they fell upon you,
little aristocratic aquiline nose, lips
that were ruddy and kissable. teeth
like pearls, a charming delicate
color that went and came
with every changing . thought, a
rounded chin with dear little dimple
in it; her figure was perfection; and
she got her dresses from Paris. fell
madly i'm love with Aurea Van Spool.
The Van Spoofs came originally from
Holland; they were very rich. they
were proud of their old Dutch ances-
tors. and they were very much respected
in New York. But Aurea Van Spool
came from Indiana; her grandfather
was one of the first settlers in that
state, and her father, when alive. had
represented the state in congress. Aurea
Van Spool. then, to put it shortly,
was wealthy orphan of pre-
possessing appearances: she was
wilIful as we'll as wealthy, and, quite
contrary to the wishes of her relatives.
Aurea and l became engaged to be mar
ried. The only stipulation she made
was that should become an American
citizen; and the only thing l insisted
upon was that all her money should be
settled upon herself, for it was Aurea
| was in love with, and not her fortune.
We went to Wayne. her native place in
Indiana. and there we were married,
and don't suppose there was happier
couple i'm the United States of America.
Still, Aurea had what is known as a
temper She hated tobacco, and was
a slave 10 it.
snow, in order to please Aurea, when
was paying my addresses to her. had
given it up altogether; but after the
honeymoon was over l allowed myself a
cigar day in the open air: and that
single cigar a day made my pretty wife
very angry indeed. She declared that
a man who smoked degraded himself
below the levelo of the brutes. / differed
with her; and, to show my Independence.
/ started the practice of an after dinner
cigar.
"'Then Aurea demonstrated very seri-
ously.
jack said she. your dreadful habit
Is causing me intense mental anguish
"'Mental anguish replied. with
laugh; how can MY smoking cause you
mental anguiSh?'
".You'Ii find OUT she said mysteri-
ously. if you insist upon smoking in the
house,
81 continued my smoking, and for a
week my wife didn't speak TO me. Then
went for three days. fishing eXcur-
sion to neighboring lake. When
| returned home my wife had disap-
peared, and | was served with a
citation and a copy of petition for
divorce in the Indiana high court, on
the ground Of my having caused my
wife intense mental anguish. At first
| looked upon the matter as rather
stupid kind of practical joke; but 1t
wasn't joke at all. went to lawyer,
and lie was candid enough.
"'She'il gain her cause, sir. She's a
pretty woman and Van Spool, and
she's bound to get her divorce. You
can't swear you didn't smoke, and, II
she don't like the smell of tobacco, l
anguish which in this state is legal
cruelty
"'Then marriages in this part of the
world are practically di soluble at the
pleasure of either party said.
"'They are that, sir replied the law
yer dryly.
"In three months the trial came off.
"Aurea entered the court, surrounded
by her relatives. We bowed distantly
to each other. and Aurea looked as if
she were going to cry. believe il mad
gone I'D to her and promised never to
smoke again all might have been we'll.
l worshiped the very ground
she walked upon; but my foolish
pride stood in my way. and | really did
not believe it was possible that in any
civilized country WOuhaD cOulu pu.
away her husband because he smoked
an after-dinner cigar. But 1 was soon
undeceived. My lovely young wife
went into the box; she swore to the
cruelty-thet is 20 say, the mental
anguish caused by the cigar; my. adj
vocate made an imprisoned speech. in
which he said that the eyes of the whole
| civilized world were that day watching
the doings of the Indiana high court,
and he drew tears from the jury by his
description of the agonies of the smoker
who wasn't allowed to smoke. But
all to.no purpose. The judge was q
non-smoker, and Aurea's tears and
Aurea's beauty settled the question:
| The jury gave their verdict, that had
caused my wife intense mental anguish,
and the Judge annulled our marriage In
solemn form,
81 went back to New York. In five
years / made my pile. I came back tog
England, and l gave up doctering.
never inquired after Aurea-l was a
great deal too angry-and l once
4 hv1r