The state herald., 1894-06-01
THE TALE OF ACoNvICT.
AN AUTHOR IN PRISON FOR
MURDER ROMANcEs.
Went to Sea to Cure Himself Of the To-
bacco Habit, and After Suffering for
Days discovered That tho Ship Was
Laden with tho Herb.

Aooen Win tho Herb,
The Philanthropic Visitor to the
prison was very much impressed with
the appearance Of one OF the con-
victs. He did not look like an evil
man. says Luke Sharp. There was
intelligence in his face and the light
Of lesrning in his eyes. The Philan-
thropio Visitor got permission TO
speak to him and he soon found from
the convict's conversation that ho
was q man OF education. The visitor
spoke kindly to him for few min
utcs. and at last asked how he came
to BIO In such place.
"Well. SIR" said the convict, al
began on cigarettes when was a
boy and gradually worked up to
cigars and finally took a Pipe. 1
smoked incessantly. 1t seemed to
soothe me In my business worries,
and although people warned me OF
the injurious effect on my health l
paid no heed to them. At length,
however, ! foil o victim to nervous
disorder and I called on noted
specialist from New York. Tho
specialist tols mo that l must stop
smoking. OF S.vise 1t would DO tho
DIZZY Sa1H LYny death. After tho
~, o s,A .e .I.eken me his orders
began d desperate struggle with the
habit My trial was an utter failure.
So finding that l could not break
myself OF tho dangerous passion OF
tobacco, l was frank with my doctor
and told him that 1t was very
evident that must ale. asked
him how long he would give me to
live II smoked as much us usual.
He said about three months. This
was worry serious. l did not wish to
die. OF course, but knew that could
not stop tho habit OF smoking.
"You SEQ. sir, 1t was before the
days Of the gold cure, and could
get no help from drugs toward
breaking my bonds. Two or three
days after the doctor camo to me
and said:
There is a ship In the harbor
which sails soon for San Francisco,
which is q voyage OF several months.
The captain is an old friend OF mine
and has never touched liquor or
tobacco You are rich man and
can arrange forms with him. He
will get together u crew that do not
use tobacco in any form. This. as
you know. will be u difficult matter.
You will DO six months or so getting
round the Horn. and II you take half
q dozen cigars with you, so that the
impulse will not come upon you until
you are we'll out ut sea, venture to
say that you will be cured OF tho
habit before you reach San Fran
cisco.
al mot tho captain that night, and
wo speedily came to terms The
doctor now allowed mo to smoke
until / went on board the ship.
Things were very pleasant for the
first few days out because | had
plenty OF cigars with me. Reason
told mo that / should use my cigars
sparingly. and should have smoked
one or two week. but us told you
| had no sclf-control, and / smoked
them moro rapidly. one after mother.
until they were all gone. Then camc
purgatory. found that tho captain
had kept to his contract only too we'll
and that thcro was not ono OF tho
crow whs- lsed tobacco In any form.
! tried bribery and everything else
with them. but 1t was all OF no use.
for though they wero quite willing
to BIO brlbed there was no tobacco
among them. As tho voyage went
on my case became worse and
worse. and TO make my torture great
or had my pipe In my pocket ]
resolved to smoke anything that
would burn In pipe. 20 ono day
when the captain was out on deck
prowled around his cabin to got some
paper TO smoke. lilo was not read
Ing man and there were no books on
board. ! was afraid TO tear any bus
mess papers. as II might cause
trouble. but | knew bills OF lading
wero dono In duplicate. and there
was ono now on his desk. Before
stufllng some OF tho paper In my
pipc l glanced over TO SEQ what It
"as; ~ :, ~, ."ss n,sns "ri'' !, ou'
1. |" ~ IAN" .o,,n "eoo'sary W w So
= oou'a nov o'i ,, my oy's Wheh
that schooner. and what do you think
tho vessel was loaded up WITH
"Why. Virginia tobacco! II was
evident that none OF tho crew knew
s ."''' u" ono "A'.p. .a' oaP,an' anu
ac. VI oosr'.. Moulu nos 'oi' mo-
having unue,'akcn my cure ana DO.
nv = 'riehu ~. ., 'na aoc.or Jus.
mink VI IT. mo 'hIp was ioaueu
IRON, rom som W s.c , WIN prime 70,
oeooo. snu nio lying 'o' s'noNu' !
sat up MI that night working NJ tn'
pane'inR IN my s,a'eroom, ahd wheh'
toward 'hornins, : succcouod IA max