The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-01-12
For a Pinch
OF Snuff
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

In lI6- Walter Watherspoon. a stu
dent at Kings (now Columbian college.
was crossing the campus. situated In
the lower part of New York, not far
from the city hall. when be met Ger
trude Springstead. the daughter of a
China merchant. going TO her home on
the Battery. The two were lovers and
expected to be married after young
Watherspoon's graduation. which was
to occur I'm the following June. Before
seeing his fiancee coming he took his
snuffbox from a pocket I'm the volumi-
nous skirt of his coat and. placing a
pinch between his thumb and finger.
crammed II up first into one nostril.
then into another. smiling Justify.
"0h. Walter" said the girl when
they met, ''if father knew you snuffcd
1t would he all up with us. lie detests
the habit and would force me TO break
with YOU"
In that case. Mistress Gertrude" re
piled Walter. II must not let him see
me snuiiing"
But suppose he hears that you
snuff"
You are right. | must drop the hah
it till at least after we are married
Taking a lacqnered box from his
pocket. he handed il to Gertrude. tell
ing her to keep II till after the we'd
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 a
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 IA tai.
low chandler. Gertrude, ON the con.
trary. was the only child and heiress
to what was then a large fortune. Nat
urally the young man was 10th to lose
his sweetheart and did not relish losing
| the fortune she would bring him.
| Watherspoon worked hard all winter
| both at his studies and pouring melted
tallow into candle molds After a few
weeks he found that he could get on
very well without snufiing and assured
I Gertrude that there would be no trou-
4 bic for them on that score. He even
declared that taking tobacco into one \
nose was filthy habit. and lie would
never resume Il. which was, of course
very pleasing to her.
A new convert is always an enthusi
sastic convert. Walter, having throw
off the shackes of bad habit. called
the attention of his friends to It's dis
agreeableness to others than the snuff
er Why should one pause while chat
ting with another to cram nasty pow
dered weed into his nose. making dis
gusting noise through his nostrls nnt
leaving his nose smeared with tobacco
His friends listened deferentially {,
his protests, but paid little attention I,
them, not infrequently taking out {
snuffbox. Offering 1t to him. then TAX
Ing pinch while he was speaking.
Walter kept his promise to his fan
Gee. nobly refrainlng from the habit III
had eschewed. In due time he wa'
graduated from college, and his father
in-law to be had consented that h,
should go into his counting room on tn
street facing the East river and begil
preparation to take position as mana
ger of the business when Mr.. Spring
stead retired. While learning the bust
ness Walter was to draw nomina
salary.
Walter was the envy Of all the youn
men In town. Engaged to lovely gil
and heir to fine business. Surcl
providence had favored him.
The wedding day opened bright an
beautiful. Walter. after breakfast
went to the Sprlngstead home and wa
placed In front room which faced tn
bay to await the hour for the ccre
mony. The sun glittered on the wave
let's. The islands to the left, the righ
and In the distance stood out clear an,
green. Directly In the foreground wa
the old fort about which the city ha
grown and prospered Walter was 81
premely happy.
The door opened and Gertrude cam
in bearing the snuffbox he had give
her months before.
II can't leave this here" she said
After have left mother will &
through my room. and it will be dis
covered"
Give it 10 me-" said Walter. Il wi
take II away with me and get rid of
on our wedding trip"
Gertrude handed him the box an,
FASTENED away to be robed In her wed
ding garments. Walter opened II an
held 1t under his nose. What del
cious fragrance. How pleasant
would be to take just one pinch, TAX
Ing little of the SNUFF between hi
thumb and finger, he held 1t near hi
nostrils. Then he thought OF the risl
he would take II he INDUCED and pu
II back I'm the box. But he took an
other pinch. and again the aromi
greeted his nostils.
Mr.. Springstead, passing through tn
hall. heard a violent sneeze. OPENING
the door of the room from which |
seemed to come. there was Walter will
an open snuffbox In one hand and hi
handkerchief I'm tho af hpr He rrppfpt