Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-08-06

AND women nave no place to take .
puff except on the sly"
Mrs. Temple stared at her in awe:
"The woman in this book smokes!-
perfumed things!"
"All women smoke nowadays" said
Mrs. Wellington, carelessly. Don't
you?"
The politest thing Mrs. Temple
could think Of in answer was: mot
yet"
Really" said Mrs. Wellington,
Don't you like tobacco?"
II never tried it."
Its time you did. I smoke cigars
myself"
Mrs. Temple almost collapsed at
this double shock: "Ci--cigars?"
yes; cigarettes are too strong for
me; will you try one Of my pets?"
Mrs. Temple was about to express
her repugnance at the thought, but
Mrs. Wellington thrust before her
portfolio in which nestled such dainty
shapes Of such warm and winsome
brown, that Mrs. Temple paused to
stare, and, like Mother Eve, found the
fruit Of knowledge too interesting
once seen to reject with scorn. She
hung over the cigar case in hesitant
excitement one moment too long. Then
she said in trembling voice: Il
should like to try once-just to see
what it's like. But there's no place."
Mrs. Wellington felt that she had
already made proselyte to her own
beloved vice, and she rushed her vic
tim to the precipice: There's the OBJ
servation platform. my dear. Come
on out"
Mrs. Temple was shivering with dis
may at the dreadful deed: What
would they say in Ypsilanti?"
What do you care? Be a sport.
Your husband smokes. If it's right
for him, why not for you?"
Mrs. Temple set her teeth and
crossed the Rubicon with q resolute
II will"
Mrs. Wellington led the timid
neophyte along the wavering floor Of
the car and flung back the door of the
observation car. She found Ira Lath-
rop holding Anne Gattle's hand and
evidently explaining something of
great Importance. for their heads
were very close together. They rose
and with abashed faces and confused
mumblings of half swallowed explana.
tions, left the platform to Mrs. Wei.
lington and her new pupil.
Shortly afterward Little Jimmie
Wellington grew FESTIVE and set out
for brief constitutional and breath
Of air. He carried siphon to which
he had become greatly attached, and
made heavy going for the observation
room, but reached the door in fairly
good order. He swung it open and
brought in with it the pale and waver
ing ghost of Mrs Temple, who had
been leaning against 1t for much-need.
ed support. Wellington was stupefied
to observe smoke pouring round Mrs
Temples form, and he resolved to
perform great life-saving feat. He
decided that the poor little woman
was on fire and he poised the siphon
like a fire extinguisher. with the noble
intention of putting her out.
He pressed the handle, and a stream
Of vichy shot from the nozzle.
Fortunately. his aim was so very
wobbly that none Of the extinguishe,
touched Mrs. Temple.
Wellington was about to play the
siphon at her again when he saw hel
take from her lips toy cigar and
emit stream Of cough-shaken smoke
The poor little experimentalist was
too wretched to notice even so large
a menace as Wellington. She threw
the cigar away and gasped:
IT think I've had enough"
From the platform came a voice
very well known to Little Jimmie. 1t
said: You'll like the second one bet
ter"
Mrs. Temple shuddered at the
thought, but Wellington drew himself
up majestically and called out:
Like second one better, Ell? I
suppozhe it's the same way with
husbandsh."
Then he stalked back to the smok.
Ing room, feeling that he had annihi-
lated his wife, but knowing from ex-
perience that she always had a come
back. He knew it would be good, but
he was afraid to hear it. He rolled
into the smoking room, and sprawling
across Doctor Temples shoulders,
dragged him from the midst of
highly improper story with alarming
news.
DOC, your wife looks kind O. seedy.
Better go to her at once"
DR.. Temple leaped to his feet and
ran to his wife's aid. He found her a
dismal, ashen sight.
sally! What on earth ails you?"
Been smok-oking," she hiccoughed.
The world seemed to be crashing
round DR.. Temples head. He could
only gurgle, "Sally!"
Mrs. Temple drew herself up with
weak defiance: "Well. saw you play
Ing cards and drinking"
In the presence Of such innocent
deviltry he could only smile: Aren't
we having an exciting vacation? But
to think of you smoking!-and a
cigar"
She tossed her head in pride. "And
It didn't make me sick-much." She
clutched chair. He tried to support
her. He could not help bordering:
"What would they say in Yp-hip-si.
lanti?"
"Who cares?" she laughed. IL
wish the old train wouldn't rock So"