Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-10-03
on pie.

| his side at first gaZed dumfOunded
then, with growing enthusiasm fol
what promised to be really magnifl'
cent performance, she began to utter
little CALCULATIONS Of wonder and ad
miration. With this music in his ears
George outdid himself.
When George did stop It was abrupt.
ly, and he and Miss Pratt came out of
the house together rather quietly, join
ing one Of the groups Of young people
chatting with after dinner languor un-
der the trees. However, Mr.. Crooper
began to revive presently in the sweet
air of outdoors, and, observing some of
the more dashing gentlemen lighting
cigarettes, he was moved to laughter.
He had not smoked since his child
hood, having then been bonded through
to twenty-one with a pledge Of gold,
and he feared that these smoking
youths might feel themselves superior.
Worse, Miss Pratt might be impressed;
therefore he laughed in scorn, saying:
"Burnin" up ole trash around here, l
expect" He shifted searchingly. Some
body's set some ole rags on fire." Then,
as In discovery, he cried, "Oh, no; only
cigarettes!"
Miss Pratt, that tactful girl, counted
four smokers in the group about her
and only one abstainer, George. She
at once defended the smokers, for it is
to be feared that numbers always had
weight with her. "Oh, but cigarettes
is lubly smellr' she said. "Untle Geor-
giecums maybe be too title boy for
smokings"
"NIe? l don't smoke paper and ole
carpets. I smoke cigars!'
He had created the right impression,
for Miss Pratt clapped her hands. "Oh,
'plendid! Light one, Unite George
Gums! Light one ever n ever so quick!
P'eshus Flopit an me we want see
dray, big, 'normous man smoke dray.
big, 'normous cigar!'
William and Johnnie Watson, who
had been lowering morbidly, unable to
resist the lodestOne, came nearer, John
ME being just in time to hear his cous-
ms reply.
IL forgot my cigar case"
Johnnie's expression became one of
biting skepticism. What you talkin'
about, George? Didn't you promise
Uncle George you'd never smoke till
you're of age, and Uncle George said
he'd give you a thousand dollars on
your twenty-tirst birthday? Whatd
you say about your cigar case|"
George felt that he was in tight
place, and the lovely eyes of Miss
Pratt turned upon him questioningly.
He could not flush, for he was already
so pink after his exploits with unnec-
essary nutriment that more pinkness
was impossible. He saw that the only
safety for him lay in boisterous pre-
varication. "a thousand dollars" he
laughed loudly. II thought that was
real money when was ten years old.
1t didn't stand in my way very long,
guess! Good ole George wanted his
smoke, and he went after it! You
know how l am, Johnnie, when l go
after anything. I been smokin' cigars
dunno how long. When smoke l
smoke! l smoke cigars straight along
light one right on the stub Of the
other. l don't want any paper. l want
something that's all tobacco!'
Williams pale, sad face showed a
hint of color. With pang he remem-
bered the package Of My Little Sweet
heart All Tobacco Cuban Cigarettes
(the Package of Twenty For 10 Cents,
which still reposed, untouched, in the
breast pocket of his coat. His eyes
smarted little as he recalled the
thoughts and hopes that had accom-
panied the purchase, but he thought,
What would Sydney Carton do?"
William brought forth the package
of My Little Sweetheart All Tobacco
Cuban Cigarettes and placed it in the
large hand of George Crooper. And
this was a noble act, for William be-
lieved that George really wished to
smoke. Here" he said, take these.
They're all tobacco. I'm goin' to quit
smokin', anyway" And. thinking Of
the name, he added gently, with a sig
nificance lost upon all his hearers,
I'm sure you ought to have 'em In.
stead of me-"
Then he went away and sat alone
upon the fence.
Light one! Light one!" cried Miss
Pratt. "Ev'ybody mus be happy, an
dray, big, 'normous man tan't be hap
py less he have his all tobatto smote
Light it, Light it,
George bravely lit Little Sweet
heart. There must have been some
valiant blood in him, for as he exhaled
the smoke he covered slight choking
by exclaiming loudly: That's good!
That's the ole stuff! That's what I
was lookin' for!"
Miss Pratt was entranced. "Oh,
'plendidy' she cried, watching him
with fascinated eyes. "Now take,
dray, big, 'normous puffs! Take dray,
big, normous puffs!'
George took great, big, enormous
7ufs. III =. H. @r@
She declared that she loved to watch
men smoke, and Williams heart as he
sat on the distant fence was wrung
and wrung again by the vision Of her
playful ecstasies. But when he saw
her holding what was left Of the first
Little Sweetheart for George to light
q second at it, expiring spark he could
not bear 1t. He moped away to be
out of sight This was his darkest
hour. a.- .sE0E = ...
william was reused BY the sound Of
music which came from the lawn be-
fore the farmhouse. Bitterly he smiled,