The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1916-12-02
For a Pinch
OF Snuff
By ESTHER VANDEVEER


In 176--Walter WatherspOon, stu
dent at Kings now Columbia) college,
was crossing the campus, situated in
the lower part of New York, not far
from the city hall, when he met Ger
trude Springstead, the daughter of
China merchant, going to her home on
the Battery. The two were lovers and
expected to be married after young
WatherspoOns graduation, which was
to occur in the following June. Before
seeing his fancee coming he took his
snuGbox from 8 pocket in the volumi
nous skirt Of his coat and placing
pinch between h:s thumb and finger
crammed it up first into one nostriI
then into another, shifting Justify.
'"Oh. Walter" said the girl when
they met, IF father knew YOU snuGal
it. would be all up with US! He detests
the habit and would force me to break
with you"
IN that case, Mistress Gertrude re
piled Walter, 81 must not let him see
me snufing"
"But suppose he hears that you
snuff"
"You are right must drop the hab-
it till at least after we are married"
Taking a lacQuered box from his
pocket, he handed it to Gertrude, tell
ing her to keep it till after the wed
ding, at the same time promising her
that he would not buy another or more
snuff till they had been married.
Now, Watherspoon was poor as
church mouse and was obliged to work
his way through college, which he did
by giving so much of his, time as he
could spare from his studies to tai
low chandler. Gertrude, on the con-
trary was the only child and heiress
to what was then large fortune. Nat
urally the young man was 10th to lose
/ his sweetheart and did not relish losing
| the fortune she would bring him.
j WatherspOon worked hard all winter
both at his studies and pouring melted
/ tallow into candle mOlds.. After few
weeks he found that he could get on
very we'll without snuffing and assured
/ Gertrude that there would be no trou-
BILE for them on that score. He even
declared that taking tobacco into ones
nose was a filthy habit, and he would
never resume it, which was, of course
very pleasing to her
j A new convert is always an enthusi
astic convert Walter, having thrown
! off the shackles Of a bad habit, called
/ the attention of his friends to its dis
! agreeableness to others than the snuff
err Why should one pause while chat
ting with another to cram nasty pow
dered weed into his nose, making a dis
! gusting noise through his nostrils and
/ leaving his nose smeared with tobacco?
His friends listened deferentially to
his protests, but paid little attention to
4 them, not infrequently taking out a
snuffbox, offering it to him, then tax
ing a pinch while he was speaking.
Walter kept his promise to his fan
Gee, nobly refraining from the habit he
had eschewed. In due time he was
graduated from college, and his father
in-law to be had consented that he
should go into his counting room on the
street facing the East river and begin
preparation to take position as mana
ger of the business when Mr.. Spring
stead retired. While learning the bust
ness Walter was to draw a nominal
salary.
Walter was the envy Of all the young
men in town. Engaged to lovely girl
and heir to a fine business. Surely
providence had favored him.
The wedding day opened bright and
beautiful Walter, after breakfast,
went to the Springstead home and was
placed in a front room which faced the
bay to await the hour for the cere-
J mony. The sun glittered on the wave
lets. The islands to the left, the right
and in the distance stood out clear and
green. Directly in the foreground was
the old fort about which the city had
grown and prospered. Walter was su-
premely happy.
The door opened and Gertrude came
in bearing the snu1box he had given
her months before.
''I can't leave this here" she said
After l have left mother viii &c
through my room, and it will be dis
covered"