Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-19
AN Advantage of
~ Fastidious Smoking.
lOripinnl.l

woman. 1 am an inveterate smoker.
Gnd 1t occurred TO me that perhaps the
lady would not object to my lighting
cigar. asked her permission. she
assented graclously. aud. taking one
from my cigar case. lighted 1t. 1t
/ WAS n long cigar. pointed ut both ends,
hnd remarkably well made. mention
THIS because II 1t had been loosely
wrapped probably there would he moth
Ing of especial interest In this story
AS | began to pun conposcdly drew
from my pocket morning paper and
commenced to read
II envy you your solace, monsieur"
the lady remarked. Travelling Is dull
and we women have no such way or
passing the time"
lowered my paper and for the first
time took lool, ut her. She was pass.
ably good looking, comparatively young
and very well dressed. Since she had
been so good az to permit me to smoke
considered Il only fair that should
take her hint and relieve her ennui by
chatting with her. | WINS aware that
the day OF making acquaintance in
this way even In America had passed,
and even there l. had never been usual
for the woman to take the Initiative.
but my companion looked bored. and
attributed her desire simply to lie tenn
porarlly amused.
tested her ON different tOplcs aud
soon FOUND that she WAS most interest
cd In pleasures exciting pleasures.
such as the theater and the race course.
She preferred, however, to talk OF nov
els and eyinced an especial interest In
those of Emile Zola. Indeed. she con-
v"Ised about the characters In those
unconventional romances with free
dom that arrested my attention. And
1t seemed to me that the more nncon-
ventlonal the characters the better she
liked them. Finally. taking the latest
of Iola's stories published from her
travelling bag, she opened 1t Mt Ger
tain page and asked me 10 sit beside
her and read passage. giving rs an
excuse for not doing so herself that
she was a very poor reader.
Pardon me-" said. 81 nm smoking.
The fumes would be unpleasant to
YOU"
NOT AT Ill. love them"
But" protested. "you zee that the
ash on my cigar ls very long. II
should move It would full. Now, am
fastidions about my smoking. love 81
freshly lighted cigar. and so long as
the nsh remains In its place the cigar
| seems rs 1t was ut the first touch of
the match. Indeed. 1t tastes the same
Rut once knock Off tue ash and the
cigar Is but Il stump. the smoke gets
In my eyes nnd-well, 1t IS not the
same by any means
To tell the truth. this was but an ex-
cusc. had come to suspect the lady
to be an adventures and did not look
, With comp!acency upon being shut up
alone with her. She seemed to discern
from my refusal 10 sit by her that
had my suspicious and, instead or at
! tempting to aliay them, began TO work
| upon my fears.
"A man who scorns lady's all
vances should be made TO pay for his
rudeness," she said sharply.
considered this threat, and to dis.
play an unconcern did not feel re.
suined my paper. Indeed, there was
nothing else for me to do. felt sure
that the woman would spring n trap
on me for the purpose OF extorting
blockmall and saw before ME IL seri-
ous complication. possible arrest and
Imprisonment. But the more inward
trepidation I felt the more outward
GOODNESS I showed concentrated my
attention upon maintaining the ash ON
the end OF my cigar Every time re-
moved the cigar from between my lips
and put 1t back did so with the ut
most care. Presently the woman took
out her watch and looked at 1t.
I'VE Will reach the station ut n. in
five minutes" she said. II need DOC
francs. Choose between giving them
to me or an arrest on charge or MS.
sault when the train stops"
Had she been willing to settle for n
napoleon would not have yielded. /
consider 1t demeanlng In any man to
pay blackmnil. 1t may or may not
De common sense. but do not believe
Ia making beginning In that dlrec-
ton. ] gave the woman no reply, but
continued to appear interested In keep
Ing the nsh 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. In one minute more my
price will be 1890" 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