Daily camera., 1899-02-07
sWEARING-CFF STORIES.
The Moral OF Which Is That But Few
Pledges Are Kept by Those
Who Make Them.

and did not know myself. | sWCre off
with Il friend, and the penat,y was d
suit of clothes to cost So. The condl-
ton was thal we were Let TO smoke in
town. When travtIlng .. hultiIS or
tishing-out OF town, in tact-we would
be allowed to smoke. The scheme
worked well for some time; then Ec-
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, l went 10
see my partner in misery to tell him
that we had better call the contrac,
off, as / could not stand it.. He was
not at home. He had gone out of town
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
| suffered was unbearable. So, with
the fine of $50 staring me in the face.
I bought cigar and smoked it. 1t was
worth $50. thought. But did not die
for lamb only; I smoked vast quan-
tity of cigars before he came home,
Then I went to him and told him tc
order the suit, that I 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 a ten-dollar hat. Finally one OF
hem weakened, saying to himself b,
smoke. While he meditated over the
matter. however, he thought out 4
scheme to save himself on the hat
He went to the hatter's - LCrcht a
ten-dollar hat and had il g. G. ID tC
the other fellow. Then h called on
the other fellow. and, pointing to the
hat. said See that hat. old boy? It
is one I have Just had charged to you
on that swear-off contract. The other
fellow cried out: How the dickens
lid you find out I had been smoking?
Never mind said the other. "A littls
bird told me-"
81 swore off once" said another club
man, "and it was just as easy as any
hing you ever heard of / did it by
logic. found I was smo''ing one cigaI
after another and never getting enough
so 7 said TO myself that if I had to de.
prive myself at some time I might a.
well begin with the first as with thc
steerth cirar. Thus 7 convinced my
self that | would have no greater diff.
ficultv than in refusing the steenth
cigar. and such proved to be the case
| had not the. slightest longing for
tobacco after I had made up my mind
that had quit I kept bcx of cigars
on the mantel, for I said might want
to smoke. and l 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, l tried all
kinds of diet. and even starved myself.
but without relief. At last. on thc
night of a strikers ball was actually
unable to go out. althou"h had made
a great effort and succeeded in dress
ing for the entertainment. | lay in
bed and groaned for several hours. The
next day was New Years and of course
there was holiday dinner 1t my house.
Said I: 4 have dieted and starved my
self. and it is doing no good. will eat
one good square meal and then die
So I sat at the table and ate everything
in sight-made a regular feast of it
Then, as I was booked for the grave.
or thought was. said l would make
a complete job of it and smoke cigar
! did not feel the want of a cigar. The
taste had not plagued me in the slight
est all that time. But I smoked now
just to go out of the world in decent
style, like a good diner should. Then
smoked another cigar. Having done
my duty. I patiently waited for the
pains to begin. They did not do SO
nor have they at any time since done
so. I have not had trouble from that
day to this. Mobile Register.