Griggs courier., 1898-12-29
swEARMc-0fF STORIES.
The Msraa q witch IL That nse sress
Pledges Are Kept ~ TAese
Who make Them.

The Neral q Witch 10 That nse fess
Pledges Are Kept ~ Thsse
Whe make Then.
II once swore OF smoking" said the
clubman. THAT was when was young
and did MOI know myself. swore OF
with friend. and the penalty was u
suit Of clothes to cost $50. The condi-
ton was that we were not to smoke in
town. When travelling or hunting o.
fishing-out Of town. in fact-we would
be allowed to smoke. The scheme
worked well for some time; then I be.
gan to want to smoke. battled with
desire for several weeks, each day of
the period becoming harder trial
than the preceding. At last, when the
longing became too great, went to
see my partner in misery to tell him
that we had better call the contract
off, as could not stand it. He Was
not at home. He had gone out of town
a week before and would be absent an
other week. Then broke down. The
thought of the party of the second part
smoking himself blue in the face while
I suffered was unbearable. So. with
the fine of $50 staring me in the face,
I bought cigar and smoked it. 1t was
worth $50, 1 thought. But did not die
for lamb only; smoked vast guam
tity of cigars before he came home.
Then I went to him and told him 10
order the suit, that had broken the
contract. He smiled quietly. as if to
himself, and then said: All right, old
fellow; but do not be disturbed about
the suit. kept the contract just three
days."
Another man said: "There were two
men in this town who swore off. the
breaker of the contract to pay the other
for ten-dollar hat. Finally one of
them weakened. saying to himself he
did not mind giving ten dollars for a
smoke. While he meditated over the
matter, however. he thought out
scheme to save himself on the hat.
He went to the hatter's and bought
ten-dollar hat and had it charged to
the other fellow. Then he called on
the other fellow, and, pointing to the
hat, said: See that hat. old boy? 1t
is one have just had charged to you
on that swear-off contract The other
fellow cried out: How the dickens
did you find out had been smolsingo?'
Never mind said the other. "A little,
bird told me-"
II swore off once" said another club
man. "and it was just as easy as any
thing you ever heard of. did it by
logic. found was smoking one cigar
after another and never getting enough.
so I said to myself that if had to de-
prive myself at some time might as
well begin with the first as with the
steenth cigar. Thus convinced my.
self that 1 would have no greater diff
ficulty than in refusing the steenth
cigar. and such proved to be the case.
l had not the slightest longing for
tobacco after had made up my mind
that had quit. l kept box of cigars
on the mantel. for said I might want
to smoke, and did not intend to treat
myself as one in whom l had no con-
fidence.
"Now mark what happened. About
month after had stopped smoking
] began to have periodical Indigestion
followed by cramps. which came on
at a certain hour of the evening of each
day and grew worse and worse until
they were quite serious. I tried all
kinds of diet. and even starved myself,
but without relief. At last, on the
night of strikers ball. I was actually
unable to go out. although had made
n great effort and succeeded in dress
ing for the entertainment. 1 lay in.
bed and groaned for several hours. The
next day was New Years. and of course
there was holiday dinner at my house.
Said /: I have dieted and starved my
self. and it is doing no good I will cat
one good square meal and then die
So sat at the table and ate everything
in sight-made regular feast of it
Then. as was booked for the grave
or thought I was. I said would make
complete job of it and smoke cigar.
I did not feel the want of cigar. The
taste had not plagued me in the slight
est all that time. But smoked now
just to go out of the world in decent
style. like a good diner should. Then
I smoked another cigar. Having done
my duty, patiently waited for the
pains to begin. They did not do so.
nor have they at any time since done
so. have not had trouble from that
day to his."-Mobile Register.
80