St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1891-11-28

they knew nothing sbout photography,
and little thought before long tho young
man would be . victim Of Il.
John Smith called on Jones 1t his
residence to thank him for the pictures
and then the latter brought out from !
cupboard t6e different parts of Q quar-
template outfit. which he proceeded to
put together and stand in . three
legged way on the floor of the room in
which they were.
There" he said. smith, you are
welcome to this You take it along for
awhile; It isn't . very good outfit, but
it'll do you IS starter. Afterwards,
when you get to know the ropes. you
will probably have your own prefer.
ence as to camera, and can then suit
yourself"
Smith 1t the time thought this was
kindness on the part of JoneG; and
doubtless Jones himself thought he
was . good-natured person who was
acting in a good-natured way to . fell
low creature. Had there been. at this
time, somebody to whisper . kindly
word Of warning to young John Smith,
how different might have been the re-
suit! But there was no one to whisper
the word.
The story b sad enough without hsv-
ing any exceptional gloom added to it
by me; and it would be an exaggerstion
to say that Smith at once became IRE
trievably addicted to photography. He
did not It was . gradual process. He
took the camera out on Saturday half
holiday. and then developed his plates
in . room he had Atted up for that pur-
pose. But he did not take It out every
Saturday, nor did he relinquish his
boating or many Of his usual habits. II
he thought about the matter at all, he
thought that he could at any time give
it up; that all he had to do was to send
back the borrowed camera 10 Jones.
and there would be IN end of it II
anybody had told him that he was be.
coming . confirmed amateur photog-
rapher. he would have laughed at the
idea None Of his friends noticed any
difference in him, and his employer
still thought him . model young man
las, indeed, with the exception of the
one growing vice. he wsA arr
But by and by he began to think
about his camera during business
hours. As,he sat on his high stool in
the somewhat somber room in the city.
little hits OF pretty landscape would
come mp before his eye. and he yearned
to be away in the green fields, or be-
side the streams, or among the rocks
and woods with his camera He now
spent nearly every Saturday away wi it'll
the little instrument, and he gave up
his usual Sunday avocations to print
the pictures he had made, which every
body admitted were about as bad as
they possibly could be. Nevertheless
he improved, and one day he joined .
Photographic society in his neighbor-
hood, composed mostly of reckless
young fellows, who saw no harm in
Photography, and who would have
laughed to scorn anyone who had
warned them. of their danger. These
people met once . week, and often
listened to papers read by fellow-mem-
bers on ''New Developers" and on the
Mental Alteration Of Lenses" and on
''Hydroquinone Is Useful Stimulant,"
and all that sort Of thing. Wild bac-
chanalian smoking concerts were held
by the club. where the air was blue.
and songs were sung, and glasses which
did not contain IN authorized developer
were emptied. These young fellows
during the summer were in the habit
Of going of on dissipated Photographic
revels, meeting at the station, and go
ing out to parts of the country unpro-
tected by the police. where they de-
SceEded, each one armed with his
camera, and photographed things right
and left without regard to conse-
q1euce&
Enith joined these bacch analian
tours, and regret to have to say that
he liked them. ny and BY he gave
Jones back his camera, but not with
the intention of making m effort to 70
form. Far otherwise. He had gone
and purchased half-plate instrument,
ard this he told Jones with apparent
pride. - t =
As1'hat's the way fellows generally
act" said Jone& They are rarely
contented with . quarter-plate, and !
hope you have got . good instrument"
.YOu see the young man was not
among people who could give him .
word Of warning. II he he'd had any
friends who would have said to lnin:
MY dear sir. you commence with .
Quarter-plate, and 1t first the quarter
plate satisfies you; but after awhile
you yesrn for . larger dose. and 60 in
for . half plate; % don't you eco that
bs and By you'll 60 in for . whole
plate. aud then an eight BY ten or per
haps . ten BY twelve3 Think. nyyoung
friend. Pause for q moment aud con-
slider where You will bring up. Con-
slider the hold It 10 getting on you.
Consider that it takes larger and larger
plates to satisfy your craving for them.
Break it on while there il yet time"
But there was no one to say these
words. and Smith went ON his career
II therefore. these re-
marks of mine reach the eye of some
young man, at present respectable. but
having still yeaxnings towards photog-
EapAy, let him think seriously and ask
hinsen what is to be thought Of q vice
hat begins 1t quarter-plates and ends