The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-03-10

would not smoke once till the expira.
ton of the term, or, rather, till II
O'Clock neon on the day we were to be
married. At first I was SO hungry for
a smoke that I kept a few cigars in a
bureau drawer where / could smell
them, but I found it was like a drunk
ard smelling liquor. l had to give it
up. I kept a record of the days to be
passed before the wedding day and
scratched of each day as 1T passed.
And when they began to dwindle ev-
cry day seemed a month-not before
the wedding, but before I could smoke.
AT last the day Of my emancipation
came. l had received my orders to
go west, and we were to take q train
leaving at 8 p. m. The ceremony was
to take place at s. I bought a thou
sand Of the best cigars I could find to
have them ready and to take with me
where such cigars were not to be pro-
cured. On my wedding day I had my
luncheon served in my room, and aft
er I had eaten and drunk I opened a
box. The odor was delicious.
"Then the thought came to me that
the time of my pledge had expired at
IL O'Clock. An uncomfortable desire
seized me to smoke just one Of those
cigars. I took one out Of the box,
put it back. took it out again, smelled
Of it and, as i'll luck would have 1t.
saw q box of matches within reach.
I scratched the match, bit of the end
Of the cigar, resisted temptation till
the match was nearly consumed. then,
touching the fame to the cigar, drew
in a long breath Of delicious smoke.
II hadn't got the thing fairly going
before that old villain Jones opened
the door and came into the ROOM"
The colonel grew so red in the face
at the memory Of this second wreck
ing Of his hopes by tobacco that I fear
ed he would have a stroke Of apoplexy.
Finally his ire subsidized, and he con-
tinued:
1.-THE old fool had come to my quar-
tiers to ask me to sign a paper n
nected with the settlement. At the
sight Of his intended son-in-law putting
clouds Of smoke, the odor Of which
made him sick, he turned and left the
room, banging the door behind him.
"For half an hour I acted like a mad
man. Then, having quieted down a
bit, l went over to the house where
the Jones family were. I found a
commotion. AS soon as I was shown
into the room where Amelia was and
the door was closed behind me she
stood looking at me, furious.
"'Fool!' she exclaimed. You have
spoiled everything
"'What's the upshot?' l asked.
"'Father says that we can proceed
with the wedding If we like, but there
is to be no settlement
"'Father is an old dragon, and I'D
rather not have a dragon for a father
in-law,' I snapped angrily.
".And I'd rather have a man for q
husband who Is not an IDIOT she re
torted.
"'An. idiot! I replied. West Point
doesn't graduate idiots
"'Will you oblige me by leaving
me?'
81 said something more-I don't re
member what, though l do know that
it was under the influence of anger OF
the most painful kind-irritation with
oneself. l only succeeded in draw
ing more bitter retorts from the girl
| was to have married, and I finally left
her."
The colonel was SO worked upon by
the Renaissance that I was glad to
see him pause again for breath and
composure. Finally he went n
"There was no wedding. The old
fool was obdurate, the bride to be was
disguised with my weakness in yield.
ing to temptation, and I was mad as
a March hare. l went to my western
post alone. but before going 1 swore
a great oath that I would again
yield to the temptation of tobacco. l
would drink. gamble, dissipate in any
and every form, but never again would
l yield to the weed.
II know what you wish to say to
me-" he continued, land you have my
consent, but you couldn't please me
better than by smoking yourself into
your grave. AS for me, a cigar is an
excitant Of a kind Of madness. To
bacco cost me promotion in the army,
and it deprived me of a fortune. l do
not mean that I would exchange the
woman I love. the mother Of my chill
dren, for Amelia Jones, but I do mean
that I have never recovered having
lost a fortune by yielding to tempta-
ton.
snow you understand why I would
not for the world stand toward you In
the position that old heather Jones
stood toward me. Smoke, smoke,
smoke, smoke to your hearts content!!'
He pushed the button again and Or
dered another cigar for me. I protest
ed that I never smoked two cigars, the
one following close upon the other, but
dreaded to oppose him lest he fly into
a nNSSiOn. sl