Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-01
THAT CIGAR SMOKE.
A Mystery That Almost Developed a Do
 mestic Tragedy.

mestic Tragedy.
 "I smell a fresh cigar" said NIT. Ed monds us he opened the door of his home at noon, "Narcissus, who has been smok- ing here9''
 "Nobody," said his happy nttlo wife, dancing out to meet him and standing on the lower stair to reach for the kiss that was always awaiting her.
 "Queer," remarked her husband, ignor- ing the kiss for the first time; "'it must Do the one smoked last evening-it's the same brand. Hullo, I left six here last night, and haven't smoked one since. Has the furnace man been here todayf"
 "Yes, dear" said his wife faintly.
 "Then he has hooked one of my cigars and smoked it under your very nose. Look out for tho rascal, Narcissus I can't fur nish him with 25 cent cigars"
 That ended the discussion for that time. MT. Edmonds did not observe his wife's preoccupation, and she forgave him for his forgetfulness in the matter of tho kiss. It was weeks before another cigar episode oc- cured, and this time the furnace man was not in it-he had resigned for the season.
 Somebody slnoking," said MT. Ed monds to himself as he entered his home by latchkey, two hours earlier than usual, by way of giving his wife a surprise. The surprise seemed to be on the other foot. An aroma of sweet scented tobacco rose like incense to greet him. His wife was up stairs, but on her desk in the front room lay half smoked cigar. It was in his own amber mouthpiece, and Mir Edmonds gave a loud whistle. "So Narcissus smokes. My wife smokes. That is a-a-a-vice I never should have laid to her. She has kept it from me very carc..nlly. Smoking and deceit. Nice ac- complishmentsr'
 By this time his wife was down stairs but his forbidding face kept her at a dis tance.
 What is 1t, Oscar?" she asked timidly II have just discovered who smokes my | cigars"
 "Ohl You do not think that I do, surelyy''
 "You deny itP'' Certainly do."
 "Then who in thunder does smoke ] them?"
 He had never spoken to her in such a tone before. She was small and weak only loving woman-but she had O spirit | and now asserted it. II decline to answer any question asked me in that way" she said and disappeared up stairs.
 Mir. EdmOnds slapped his hat on his
 
 | slam that jared tho neighborhood. In ordinary cases one would anticipate trag- edy after such scene, but tho quarrels of young married people arc effervescent. Mir. Edmonds returned as calm as a sum- | mer evening, and by tacit agreement no allusion was made to cigars. Weeks passed away, and spring was in full bloom. MT. Edmonds smoked a pipe now, and as no odor of n cigar ever greeted him ho concluded that his wife had quit smoking But hurrying home one lay at an unusual hour he entered the house to find the air Odoriferous with n brand of cigars that sell at $1 hundred. "Heavcns!' he shrieked as he flung himself into the presence of his wife. If | you will smoke misguided woman, for | goodness sake let me buy you your cigars. NarcisSus, 1t is bad enough to have the | wife of my bosom smoke'- But don't smoke, If you arc alluding | to me, Oscar. l never even tried to smoke Q cigar in my life.' "Ha! I see! Oh, fool that have been Whero is he? Where is tho destroyer of my happiness? Bring him face to face with his miserable victim, perfidiOus wonl n !'' Mrs. Edmonds was going from one par- Oxysm of laughter into another, as her hus- | band raved dramatically and strode about the roOm
 "Oh, you silly fellowr' she said, when she could got her breath. You have turned the air green. If you hadn't been so cross and unreasonable, I'd have told you in the first place. I've burned a cigar now and then to keep the moths out of the carpets and the furniture, but 1 thought 1t was extravagant and didn't want you to know. You jealous boy, to jump at such silly | conclusionsr'
 But the relief that showed in Mir Ed. monds' face, and the readiness with which he took his wife into favor again, showed that he had been on the very brink of a domestic tragcdy-all of his own imagina. l tion.-Detroit Free Press