The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-04-10

CATS ON THE FENCE.
man of stamina to break off, even
though he will tell you that his health
is imperled by continuing On. I have
been smoking for twenty years. 1t
hasn't done me any hurt or any good.
At any time during those twenty years
I could have broken off had it been
necessary. have always felt a SUI
preme contempt for the poor fish
worms that felt they Couldn't
'But have you at length decided to
stop smoking?' she asked.
For one solid year."
''But why, il it was not hurting you?"
Why He Stopped.
'W ell, Green came into the office this
afternoon on some business. He is a
great smoker. l hadn't seen him for
three months, and I was amazed to
find him Il total wreck. Smoking has
done it. When l asked why he didn't
give it up, lie frankly replied that he
couldn't. He was also frank enough to
say that he didn't believe l could. Two
or three others agreed with him, and I
finally got a little put out and told
them that l would stop for year.
Yes, stop it is. Not another puff for
twelve long months"
'Do you think you can do it," asked
Mrs. Bowser in doubtful tones.
do | think SO? I know so. Have
you seen ANY OF the namby pamby
about me? When | said 1 would do a
thing, haven't ! always done it? I've
been in the habit of smoking at least
ten cigars per day, but I'll knock it
sky high and never wink over it,
1T will be something almost heroic
if you can. Will the extra money that
you save come to me?'
EVERY cent Of it. You can figure on
about 81 week increase in your pin
money. Understand, however, I'm not
giving up this habit because smoking
hurts me or to save the money. It's
just to show the world that I've got
the necessary backbone"
81 see. What are you chewingY'
"Just little bit of licorice root. It
isn't because l want to smoke, but I
happened to pick it up, you know. By
the bye, Ive got to run around to the
drug store and get corn plaster
Mr.. Bowser left the house, but he
didn't go to the drug store. He went
to the grocery instead, and he pur-
chased cloves, cinnamon, cardamom
seeds and two or three other things.
He kept his mouth full on the way
home, but had hardly entered the house
when the vision of an eminent citizen
smoking a cigar while he read the
evening paper rose up before him, and
he uttered a groan without realizing it.
'Is it colic?" innocently asked Mrs.
Bowser.
Thought It Collie.
"Colic? What the devil would l be
doing with a case of collie? I never
had it in my life"
He sat down and picked up the pa
per and read for five minutes.
Then he entered the library and look
ed to see if the dictionary was in it's
usual place.
1t was, and he returned and sat down
and slyly stuffed four or five cloves
into his mouth. The cat looked at him
in sarcastic way, and he made men
tai note Of it,
That cat should suffer for his pre-
sumption.
do cloves kill the desire to smoker"
suddenly asked Mrs. Bowser.
"Of course not, but have no desire
to kill. I don't believe l could smoke
cigar if l tried"
He then arose and walked down the
hall to the hatraclz to see if his hat
was there.
1t was, and he wandered back and
looked out of one of the rear windows
and swallowed the cloves and substitute
ed some orange peel. Mrs. Bowser was
immersed in her book and paid no
heed, but he turned to find the cat
looking at him with grin on his
face.