The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1908-04-23
an Advantage If
~ faStidiOuS Smoking.
tOriginal !


with but one person besides myself. a
woman am an inveterate smoker,
and it occurred TO me that perhaps the
lady would not object To my lighting
ii cigar. asked her permission. she
aSsented gracously. and. taking one
from my cigar ease. lighted IT, IL
was long cigar. pointed ut botn enus.
and remarkably well made. | mention
this because if it had been loosely
wrapped probably there would be moth
ing OF especial interest in TINS story
AS began to puff composedly | drew
from my pocket i morning paper and
commenced to read.
Il envy you your so.ace. monsieur.
the lady remarked. "Traveling is DUH
and we women have no such way or
passing the time"
| lowered my paper and for the hrst
time took Il look at her. She was pass
ably good looking. comparatively young
and very we'll dressed. Since she had
been 50 good as to permit me to smoke
| considered it only fair that | should
chatting with her was aware that
the day of making acquaintance in
this way even in America had passed.
and even there it had never been usual
for the woman to take the Initiative.
but nv companion looked bored. and |
attributed her desire simply to be tenn
pOrarily amused.
a fnp MI
soon found that she was most interest
ed in pleasures exciting pleasures,
such as the theater ana the race course.
She preferred. however, to talk OF nov
els and evinced an especial interest in
those of Emile lola. Indeed. she con-
yersed about the characters in those
unconventional romances with free
dom that arrested my attention. And
it seemed to me that the more uncon-
ventional the characters the better she
liked them Finally. taking the latest
of Zola's stories published from her
travelling bag, she opened it at GER
tain page and asked Inc to sit beside
her and read passage. giving as an
excuse for not doing so herself that
she was Il very poor feauei
Pardon me-" | said. Il am smoking.
The fumes would be unpleasant to
you"
Not at all. | love them"
But" l protested. you see that the
ash on my cigar is very long. If l
should move it would fall. Now, am
fastidious about my smoking. | love a
freshly lighted cigar. and so long as
the ash remains in its place the cigar
seems as it was at the first touch of
the match. Indeed, it tastes the same.
But once knock off the ash and the
cigar IS but stump, the smoke gets
In my eyes and-well. it is not the
same by any means"
To tell the truth, this was but an ex-
cuse. | had come to suspect the lady
to he an adventures and did not look
with cOmplacency upon being shut up
alone with her She seemed to discern
from my refusal to sit by her that I
had my suspicious and, instead Of at
tempting to allay them. began to work
upon my fears.
"A man who scorns lady's adj
vances should be made to pay for his
rudeness." she said sharply.
| considered this threat and to dis
play IN unconcern l did not feel re-
sumed my paper. indeed. there was
nothing else for me to do. | felt sure
that the woman would spring trap
on me for the purpose OF extorting
blackmail, anG saw before me a seri-
Gus complication, 4 possible arrest and
imprisonment But the more inward
trepidation | felt the more outward
GOODNESS | showed. | concentrated my
attention upon maintaining the ash on
the end of my cigar. Every time I re-
moved the cigar from between my lips
and put it back l did SO with the ut
most care. Presently the woman took
out her watch and looked at it.
I'VE will reach the station at n. in
five minutes" she said. Il need 500
francs. Choose between giving them
to me or an arrest on 4 charge of as
sault when iir train stops"
Had she been willing to settle for a
napoleon I would not have yielded. l
consider it demeaning in any man to
pay blackmail. 1t may or may not
be common sense. but do not believe
in making a beginning in that direc-
ton. l gave the woman no reply, but
continued to appear interested in keep
ing the ash on the end of my cigar
Finally the houses by the way grew.
thicker, and the train slowed down.
"I'll settle for 1000 francs" said the
woman. I'm one minute more my
price will be 800" At the same time
She began to pull her apparel awry to
indicate that she had been through q
struggle.
| smoked on.
In another minute the train pulled up
at the station. The woman put her
head out of the window and shrieked
for the guard. He came, followed by
officials and curious people, and drew
open the door.
This brute has assaulted me-" said
the woman. ARREST him"
The guard and his followers all lev