Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-20
sWEARING-oFF STORIES.
The Moral OF which Is Tint But Few
Pledges Arc Kept by Those
Who Make Them,

once sWore OIL smoRlng, said the
clubman. THAT was when was young
and did not know myself. l swore oil
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 OF
fishing-out of town, in fact-wc would
be allowed to smoke. The scheme
worked well for some time; then be.
gan TO want to smoke. / battlcd with
desire for several weeks, each day Of
the period becoming n 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, rs l could not stand it. lie was
not at home. lie had gone out of town
week before and would be absent an
other week. Then broke down. Tho
thought OF the party of the second part
smoking himself bluein the face while
! suffered was ulDbcarable. So, with
the fine of $50 staring me in the face,
! bought cigar and smoked II. II was
worth $50, thought. But did not die
for lamb only; I smoked a vast guam
tity Of cigars before he came home.
Then l went 10 him and told him 10
order the suit, that I had broken the
contract. He smiled quietly, rs If to
himself, and then said: 'AIl right. old
fellow; but do not be disturbed about
the suit. l kept the,contract just three
days."
Another man said: "Thcrc were two
men in this town who sworc 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 n
smoke. While he meditatcd over the
matter. however, he thought out n
scheme to save himself on the hat
lie went to the hnttcr's and bought n
tcn-dollar hat and had it charged to
the other fellow. Then he called on
the other fellow, and, pointing to the
hat, spid: See that hat. old boy2 It
Is one have just had charged to you
on that swenr-off contract The other
fellow cried out: How the dickens
did you find out had been smoking ~
Never mind said the other. "a little
bird told me-"
81 sworc off once" said another CHM
man. land it was just rs easy rs any
thing You ever heard OF. ] did il by
logic. found WAS smoking ono cigar
after another and never re ting enough,
so said TO myself that If had to de-
prive myself at some time might rs
well begin with the first ms with the
stccnth cigar. Thus I convinced my.
self that would have no greater diff
ficulty than in refusing the stccnth
cigar, and such proved to be the ease.
l. had not tho slightest longing for
tobacco after 1 had made up my mind
that had quit. kept box of cigars
on the mantel, for said might want
TO smoke, and did not intend to treat
myself rs one in whom I had no con.
fidcncc.
snow mark what happened. About
n month after had stopped smoking
| began to have periodical indigestion.
followed by cramps, which came on
at certain hour of the evening of each
day and grew worse and worse until
they were quite serious. l tried all
kinds of diet, and even starved myself,
but without relief. At Inst, on the
night of strikers ball, wns actually
"hhDlc 10 90 out, although had made
great effort and succeeded in dress
ing for the entertainment. lay in
led and groancd for several hours. The
next day was New Years, and of course,
there was holiday dinner at my house.
Said ]: have dieted and starved my
self, and ii is doing no good. will cnt
one good square meal and then die
80 | sat at the table and ate everything
In sights-made regular feast of il
Then, ms was booked for the grave,
or thought ] was. said would maize
n complete job of II and smoke Il cigar.
did not feel the want of cigar. The
taste had not plagued me in the slight
est NIL that time. But | smoked now
Just Ia go out of the world in decent
style. like good diner should. Then
smoked another cigar. Having done
my duty, I paticstly waited for the
pains tn 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 Register.
WOMEN Doctors of Old.
IL.