The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-09-20

sacrifice to pleuse GeneyIeve.
1T had been quite sufficient for ME
when, one evening as / was lighting up,
she begged me not to smoke any more. i
ask 1t as n favor Of you, dear threw
away the cigar Just started without mur
| mur
And, as II sho understood something
of the pleasure of which had thus unhes.
itatingly deprived myself, she whispered
"'Ah, if you only knew, dear, how
much / love you for yielding to my
wishes'
ut is my greatest happiness to obey
you. And was sincere in saying that.
II even went 30 far as to refuse to finish
the box already broken into 1t stood up
on the lnantelshelf in my room. My Gus
tom was to smoke cigar every night be-
fore going to bed, but ON this occasion no
sooner had stretched out my hand toward
them than-ah! my promise. The tempta-
tion was strong. l had bad quarter Of
an hour, but | camo off best.
The box LETT open for the benefit of
my friends and servants, for the concierge
and his oronios, and these good people, as
If they had guessed my intentions, made
great and repeated efforts to diminish the
risk which rad to run.
"At length the happy day arrived-that
B tit uu1 VI lIlt tlNll tflt
mayor.
Il was to call for Gonevicve at half past
l. got up in good time washed shaved,
dressed, had my breakfast and put oil my
new frock coat made expressly for tho
occasion. Then was ready, but | wasn't
quito satisfied till had given my mus
tache o few extra curls and twirls and
twists, which brought the waxcd ends to
the utmost attainahle degree OF perfection.
Then was quite ready.
81 consulted my watch. Twelve o'clock
I had still an hour before me-a whole
hour. 1 had waited six months merely
to find out If l should ever SEQ Geneyieve
again. l had waited Blk weeks from tho
day we were engaged to tho day we were
to bo married, and now only an hour sep
arated us, and yot l burned with impa-
thence.
Il walked about the room; I sat down
and got up again; 1 looked out of the
window; 1 pulled open tho drawers and
tumbled over tho contents seeking fer
some occupation, some distraction-any-
thing to help kill tho time, The last hour
dragged most awfully. shifted the things
on the mantelpiece, and in doing so my
eyes fell on the box of cigars. There was
only one left. My friends had not stinted
"Only one. picked 1t up mechanical
ly. 1t was well made and nicely finished.
tested 1t by tho noso and by the ear. 1t
was dry and had a delightful smell. To
the eye 1t was neither too light nor too
dark. In a single word, 1t was really
'choicc' cigar. But dropped 1t back into
the box as If 1t burned my fingers and
shut my eyes the better to escape tempta-
ton.
AT this moment heard the quarter
chime. Three quarters Of an hour still
to wait, l growled and began beating
tattoo with my foot. Then l went back to
tho chimney, and Immediately my gaze
fastened itself on the forbidden object.
Picking up the Cigar again, began play
ing with it-one is sometimes seized with
a sudden madness-I bit it with my teeth.
held u lighted match to It, and throwing
myself into an easy chair l began to
smoke. II was delicious
In few minutes / had thrown back
my head, half closed my eyes and given
myself up to the enjoyment OF tho narcotic
influence. l was Tapped in that sweet sem
sation which is not sleep but belongs to
that h' >-s '.. '1nr country where thought