The daily Alaskan., 1917-10-15

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, expect" He sniffed searchingly. Some body's set some ole rags on fire" Then, as in discovery, he cried, "Oh. no; only cigarettesw
 1 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 1t Is to be feared that numbers always had weight with her. "Oh, but cigarettes is lubly smell! she said. "Untle Geor- giecums maybe be too little boy for smokings"
 "Me7 l don't smoke paper aud ole carpets. I smoke cigarsw He had created the right impression, ! for Miss Pratt clapped her hands. "Oh, 'plendid! Light one, Untle Georgte- cums Light one ever n ever so quickl P'eshus Flopit an me we want see dray, big. 'normous man smoke dray. big, 'normous cigarP'
 William and Johnnie Watson, who had been lowering morbidly, unable to resist the lodestone, came nearer, John- nie being just In time to hear his cous- in's reply.
 "I-I forgot my cigar case"
 Johnnies expression became one of biting skeptlcism. 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 caseT"
 George felt that he was in a tight place, and the lovely eyes of Miss Pratt turned upon him questioningly. He could not flush. for be 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- yariCation. "A thousand dOllarsw he laughed loudly. "I thought that was real money when l was ten years old. It didn't stand In my way very long, I guess! Good ole George wanted his smoke, and he went after It! You know how l am, Johnnie, when l go after anything been smOkin' cigars dunno how long! When l smoke l smoke I smoke cigars straight along light one right on the stub of the other. 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 Cthe Package of Twenty For 10 Cents), which still reposed, untouched, in the breast pocket of his coat His eyes smarted q little as he recalled the thoughts and hopes that had accom- panied the purchase, but he thought, What would Sydney Carton do2"
 William brought forth the package of My Little Sweetheart All Tobacco Cuban Cigarettes and placed 1t in the large hand of George Crooper. And l this was a noble act, for William be- lleved 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 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. "ET'ybody mus be happy, an dray, big, 'normous man tan't be hap py less he have his all tobatto smote. Light 1t! Light it!'
 George bravely lit a Little Sweet heart. There must have been some valiant blood in him, for as he exhaled the smoke he covered a slight choking by e1clalming loudly: That's good! That's the ole stuff! That's what l was lookin' fOr!"
 Miss Pratt was cntranced. "Oh, plendidr' she cried watching him with fascinated eyes. Now take, dray, big, 'normous puffs! Take dray, big, 'normous puffsF
 George took great, big. enormous puffs.
 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 a second at its expiring spark he could not bear it. He moped away to be out of sight. This was his darkest hour.
 William was reused b? the sound of music which came from the lawn be- fore the farmhouse. Bitterly he smiled, remembering that Wallace Banks had engaged Italians with harp, violin and l flute, promising great things for danc-