The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-12
SHE SMOKED A CIGARETTE.
THE NEW BOARDER NEARLY CAUSED
a PANIC Nv THE Gus

the House 80 No Cause for Alarm.
The new boarder In the fourth floor front
concluded that sho would smoke a cigarette.
Not that she cared at all for cigarettes. On
the contrary, she disiiked them. The smoke
got IN her eyes and made the tears come. 1t got
down her throat and strnnglcd her, besides
which the odor permeated her clothing and
STAYED there. She was merely smoking this
cigarette to see what would happen. This was
what happened:
Bridget. tho chambermaid. coming into the
room TO make the bed. promptly alscerued the
pernlcious odor OF that little cigarette. Then.
spying stealthily around she found he end OF
the cigarette r~eposing upon n corner OF tho
mantelpiece. That was enough. She went
about STRENGTHENING the room In an ominous
silence. When her work was done she went
into the fourth floor back.
There do be curious things a-goin' on in
the next room to this. maam." she said to the
woman who sat by the window embroiderlnE
Curious thlnEs! Faith. an that's phwnt I'm
afther telin' OF We"
What in the world do you mean, Bridget"
asked tho woman. sticking hor needle straight
into her thumb instead OF into her embroidery.
What is 1t that's goln' onH"
Bridget mournfully shook her head. "They
don't be afther behaivin' so In the ouid coun-
thry. ma'am." she said.
The woman dro pped her embroidery.
"Bedad. It's the new boarder. ma'am." Bird
get went on IN q hoarse whisper. Its she
that's afther shmokin' a ciGaroot In her room.
an that's phwat's the matter. Faith. an amt
it enough. ma'am2 A laadle a-shmokin' OF q
ciRaroot In her room!'
The woman pushed Bridget aside and sped
out Of the room She made her way to the
third floor front.
Well. what is the matter?" asked the third
floor front. who was busily engaged in wash
ing out her handkerchiefs and pasting them
up against the window pane to dry.
IF YOU only knew."
Tell me. then. quick. Has there been q
row in the house and I not in III II there has
it's the first"
"Right you are. but It isn't a row this time.
What dc you suppose is hnrpening In this
very house this very minute2 The new
boarder is smoking cigars a foot long In her
room upstairs-a foot long. those stoRies.
That is what you call them. isn't It? Yes.
S~toGies."
"What!' screamed the third floor front,
Its the gospel truth. Bridget told me-"
The handkerchiefs all fell of the window
pane to the floor. The third floor front. leav-
ing them there, ran to the woman md Erasped
her by the arm.
Come. she exclaimed. Tets go and tell the
third floor back. II she finds out there IL any
thing going on In this house that she don't
know about she will drop dead. We don't
want a funeral"
Together they fastened to the third floor
back. The occupant Of the room was comb
ing her back hair preparatory to doing IT up In
a Psyche knot.
What do you think is happeninR?" they
cried with one voice.
The third floor back took her hairpins out Of
her mouth and looked around.
Il can't imagine" said she. WHAT"
Something awful" they declared, both talk
ing together. The new boarder in the fourth
floor front is smoking a pipe. Think OF a
young girl like that smoking a pipe In O house
like this. lent 1t a sin anu a shame2 Isn't it
disgracefuI?"
back .,.,,.
to the fourth floor back. tie the solemn
The third door back scattered her ~hairpins
recklessly over her dressing table. We'll go
a apd i is.t i Ike to tn fhe sn seSo %hd no sbe f t6Inks s at 4 she.
shame and a disgrace! Well. | should think
SO; The girl ought to be fred out Of the house
this very minute. That's what she should be-"
down her back. to the second floor front:
pipe" they said. Not only that. but she's got
cigarettes and cigars aud cheroots all over the
room everywhere; on the tables and bookcases
and whatnots. The mantelpiece is full of
them. Even. the walls are restooned with to-
bacco leaves brought from wherever she comes
from and hung up instead OF pictures
When they had paused for breath the sec
ond floor front got in q word edge ways,
me- she said. pressing her lips together. Il
spotted her the minute l laid eyes on her, the
very minute Sns put her foo, in this h9uss
we're my very words. Wen hear from her yet
And now, II has come, sooner than even / en-
pected. | know what | am going to do"
What" gasped the others.
~ am going To The Iaqdlady and have her
ssmok}ns, p f"%' IN a St decent % eU IN a decent ie HH:
il. my iiiis. Never! Wha} are we all Coming
along. Well put a stop to this at once
They hnstened downstairs. On, their way
them all together aud in such evident excite
NEW sWo so eS yoy b l@ fsS m it.% aniG the second floor
back. the new hoarder upstairs L. sitting in
her, room right this minute smoking a nine
$, thick with tobacco smoke thai YOU could
that smoking, It wouldn't SURPRISE me one
single BIT II she was an opium tiend. not one
That's lust it," they reiterated In an awed
whisper; She is an opium fend.",
The back parlor al, last found sufficient
An opium flend in this house y she Groahed.
We'll. she'll not stay in il lonGS=We will have
her nut out. She COOS. bag and baggage. or
we 60 The landlady may pay her money and
The landlady was quietly hemming napkins
when they marched In on her.
."NoT. look here. - said the second floor front.
shaking q trembling fo%refnger in her face.
we are ali going TO pack our trunks and leave
this place in double quick time unless you fire
that new boarder on the fourth floor.
Why. what has she doney" demanded the
lanjladv in dismay. because a boarder ia n
boarder aud SO much a week. is SO much a
week. II not more.
She is up in her room now" explained the
second floor back. sitting cross. legged in the
middle Of tn" room. dressed in Turkish trous-
ers. hitting the pine she's got one OF those
nargilehs. or whatever you call them, one Of
those big, long bottle things with a tube to 1t
that would reach. across the room. drawing
AVA at II for dear life"
MY lnnd!" exclaimed the landlady. turning
white. rs that true? Are you certain OF III"
Certain OF H. OF course we are, Bridget
bit. Didn't know the minute laid my eyes
on that girl that she was an opium ilend?
Well. | RECKON! You cant fool me. I've seen
too many Of them, There's always something
their compilations! Goodness! Anybody. to