The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-11-28
SOME swEAR.OFF STORIES.

II once swore off smoking" said the
clubman. THAT was when / was young
and did not know myself. / swore of
with friend, and the penalty was
suit of clothes TO cost $50. The condi-
tion was that we were not TO smoke in
town. When travelling or hunting or
fishing-out Of town, i'm fact-we would
be allowed to smoke. The scheme work.
ed we'll for some time; then i began TO
want 10 smoke. l battled with desire
for several weeks, each day of the pc
riod becoming a harder trial than the
preceding. AT last. when the longing
became too great, / went TO see my
had better call the contract off, as i
could not stand II. He was not at
home. He had gone out of town week
before and would be absent another
week. Then i broke down. The thought
OF the party of the second part smok
ing himself blue in the face while l
suffered was unbearable. So. with the
fine OF $50 staring me in the face, l
bought q cigar and smoked IL. IL was
worth $50. l thought. But / did not die
for a lamb only; l smoked vast guam
tity of cigars before he came home.
Then | went 10 him and told him 10 go
order the suit that 1 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 F"
Another man said: "There were two
men in this town who swore off, the
breaker of the contract To pay the 9TH
er for a ten-dollar hat. Finally one of
them weakened. saying To himself he
did not mind giving $40 for smoke.
While he meditated over the matter,
however, he thought out a scheme TO
save himself on the hat He went 10
the hatter's and bought ten-doll9r
hat and had ii charged To the fellow
Then he called on the other fellow, and
pointing 10 the hat, said: See that hat.
old boy? Ii Is one 1 have just had
charged TO you on that swear-of con-
tract The other fellow cried out; How
in the dickens dad you find out / had
been smoking?' Never mind said the
other. A little bird told me. "
We'll, l swore off," said another
clubman. "and to make the matter
memorable | handed a dozen fine Ha-
vana cigars 10 a friend. telling him TO
smoke them, as l had sworn off. was
like the man Tho found the first day
pretty bad, the second horrible. and the
third no trouble at all, because he be-
gan again to smoke. About the third
day my resolution died out. and then l
thought of the fine Havanas. l met my
friend. Where are those twelve cigars
] loaned you?' | asked. Here, he said:
Il knew you would want them again
And he took one for deposit charges.
smoked the rest"
Il swore off once" said another club
man, "and ii was just as easy as any
thing you ever heard Of. did it by
logic / found l was smoking one cigar
after another and never getting enough,
so l said TO myself that If / had 10 de-
prive myself at some time l might as
well begin with the first as with the
steenth cigar. Thus l convinced myself
i would have no greater difficulty than
in refusing the steenth cigar. and such
proved To be the case. i had not the
slightest longing for tobacco after
had made up my mind that i had quit.
| kept box Of cigars on the mantel for
| said might want 10 smoke, and did
not intend to treat myself as one in
whom had no confidence.
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.1 tried all kinds
of diet, and even starved myself. but
without relief. At last on the night OF
a strikers ball. was actually unable
to go out, although had made a great
effort and succeeded In dressing for
the entertainment ! lay in bed and
groaned for several hours. The next
day was New Years and of course
there was a holiday dinner at my
house. Said L: Il have dieted and starv-
ed myself and IL is doing no good. |
will eat one good square meal and then
ole So | sat at the table and ate ev-
erything in sight-made regular feast
OF it. Then. as l was booked for the
grave. or thought l was. i said
would make n complete job of 1t and
smoke a cigar. / diu not feel the want
of a cigar. The taste had not plagued
me i'm the slightest all that time. But
smoked now just to go cut OF the
world in descent style, like a good diner
should Then l smoked another cigar.
Having done my duty / patiently
awaited for the pains 10 begin. They
did not do so. nor have they at any
time since done so. ] have not had
trouble from that day to this. Mobile
DailY Register.