The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-27
For a Pinch
OF Snuff
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

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
Watherspoon's graduation, which was
to occur in the following June Before
seeing his fiancee coming he took his
snufYbox from a pocket In 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. shifting Justify.
"Oh, Walter" said the girl when
they met. III father knew you snuffed
1t would be all up with us! He detests
the habit and would force me to break
with you"
ain that case. Mistress Gertrude" re
piled Walter. ~ must not let him see
me snuffing."
But suppose he hears that you
snuff"
you are right. | must drop the hab
1t till at least after we are married"
Taking lacquered box from his
pocket, he handed II to Gertrude, tell
ing her to keep 1t 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 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 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.
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 well 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 filthy habit, and he would
never resume 1t, which was. of course.
very pleasing to her.
A new convert is always an enthusi.
astic convert. Walter, having thrown
of the shackles Of a bad habit, called
the attention of his friends to Its 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
gushing noise through his nostrils and
leaving his nose smeared with tobacco?
His friends listened deferentially to
his protests, but paid little attention to
them, not infrequently taking out
snuffbox, offering 1t 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-
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 snuffbox he had given
her months before.
81 can't leave this here" she said.
"After have left mother will go
through my room. and 1t will be dis
covered"
"Give it to me-" said Walter. II will
take it away with me and get rid of il
ON our wedding trip"
Gertrude handed him the box and
FASTENED away to be robed In her wed.
ding garments. Walter opened 1t and
held it under his nose. What a deli.
cious fragrance How pleasant il
would be to take just one pinch! TAX.
ing a little of the snuff between his
thumb and finger. he held it near his
nostrils. Then he thought of the risk
he would take II he INDUCED and put
1t back In the box. But he took an
other pinch. and again the aroma
greeted his nostils.
Mr.. Springstead, passing through the
hall. heard a violent sneeze. OPENING
the door of the room from which II
seemed to come. there was Walter with
a.. n.