The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-03-31
"But you've had a new m~outhpiece

will make 1t all new.
"Nonsense," / exclaimed, that pipe
has already had three bowls. Those
shattered parts are just like the shat
tered illusions of matrimony. that We
lop off and replace with the quiet joys
of common sense"
Polly looked thoughtfully at the brok-
en- heap.
Now" she said softly, II suppose
you'll have to take to cigars again,
til that pipe is mended."
I looked furtively at the package tied
in the red string, but drew my eyes
quickly away as Polly lifted hers.
My dear" 1 remarked v%irtuously, "it
requires more than one honeymoon
| quarrel to drive a man back to f1irta-
tions-and it requires more than
broken bowl to drive a confirmed pipe
smoker back to rolled tobacco"
Polly leaned over and retied the red
string with a face as rosy as the ribbon
itself.
And yet she sighed, Took at the
married men who do smoke cigars all
their lives"
Il will" l replied, but don't you dare
look at them. They are not really
legally yoked. Besides they haven't
YOU
Nor a meerschaum," quickly inter-
posed Polly.
Nor logged persistence"
Nor common sense joys with which
to replace the Topped off illusions"
Nor the art of coloring-or loving"
Nor the power Of approaching a
particular woman!"
And sometimes, Polly" I finished
thoughtfully, they try to enjoy a pipe
before they nave really smoked a suffi-
cient number Of cigars and they cannot
succeed. 1t takes a long apprentices
shin at tnhacno and q LOT nf trials he
fore one a really learn to appreciate
a pipe. And it takes a long youth fuu
of fiirtations and love affairs to fit n
to appreciate the love of n
Tobacco and love M olives are ac-
quired tastes. Ones first olive is Bit
ter, ones first smoke makes one sick
and ones first owe affair makes
unhappy. A man must eat nine olives,
smoke nine cigarets and love nine
women
Polly jumped UP quickly and tugged
at the strings of her bonnet.
"And forget them ALL" she cried
warningly, otherwise he will acquire
the cigaret habit or the love aking
maitland then no pipe and no wife
in the world will satisfy him." and she
flung her hat onto a chair dramatically
and stopped to pick up something on
the hoor.
What are you doing, Polly7" 1 in
quired. Don't bother about that mess
I'll clean it up"
Polly rose with a mixture of meer-
schaum bowl and ashes In her hands
and fire in her eyes.
"Mess!" she reiterated. 'Dou you
mean to say that you care no more for
that beautiful broken pipe than to call
it a mess"
IT have forgotten it, Polly" I re-
Joined; Just as I shall forget this lit
tie argument. What are you going to
do with that piece Of crockery7" Poly
was carefully polishing a olt OF brown
m~eerSchaum.
I'm going to put it away" she said
gently, with your love letters and
and-other things"
I reached over and caught the hand
that held the broken pipe.
'Polly-Polly. sweetheart" I said
softly, trying to unroll the resisting
fingers.
"Don't-oh. don't" cried Polly.
What have you got in those fin
gers?" I demanded.
.,oa in confu-
You have!" I declared, and straight
ening them out one by one, I revealed
the stem and m%outhpiece Of my shat
tered meerschaum lying in Polly's
palm.
What were you going to do with
that, Polly?" I asked gently.
L "a ~
heap on the floor.
Were you going to keep that for a
souvenir, too?"
NO said Polly softly, IT was going
tic buy-a BOWL to fit It."
Polly, darling" said /, unite the
string around that box and let me
smoke just one cigar-in honor Of my
one sweetheart"
''Never!" cried Polly.
But you bought them for me-"
II don't care!"
And now" 1 declared, "Ill never
smoke a hateful pipe again!"
Polly caught the cigarbox up In her
arms and held it away from me.
please, Jack, no." she cried, as !
reached out for the package.
But, Polly, it's the n wish you've
wanted fulfilled ever since we've been
married. I'll go back to cigars now,
little girl. To lii Of your doing
without that hat-to buy me these!"
Il don't care" cried Polly.
But they must have cost you S15 at
the very least"
They did," said Polly, "but o cant
have them now!"
Just one. Polly" I pleaded as the
fragrant memories Of my past Havanas
rose tantal!zing to memoir
Not one," declared Polly.
Blu what on earth are you going t.
do with them?" I demanded.
I'm going to take them down tow
this very minute" said Polly replac
ing her hat and tying the strings be
meath her chin. And exchange then
for that new pipebowl!"
And even Polly did not hear the half
triumphant. h~alf-regretful sigh tina
rose to my lips as-I kissed her, ant
stopped to gather up the rest Of m.
shattered pipe.