Year: 1873

Smikes made up his mind to stop chew
ing. He never was much of chewer,
anyhow, he said. lie hadn't used tobac-
co but few years, and rafely consumed
more than an ounce paper in day. But
he feared the habit might get hold of him
and become fixed, and if there was any
thing that he abhorred it was to see a
man become a slave TO bad habit. He
had used the weed some, to be sure, but
there had never been a time during the
last ten years when he could not stop at
any moment. But so long as he did not
become habituated to its use he did not
care to stop. lie could break off at any
minute, and it was great satisfaction to
feel so. Thomson, lie thought, was an
abject slave to his pipe. lie pitied
Thomson, for he had seen Thomson try
to stop smoking several times, and fail
ignominiosly every time he undertook it,.
But Smikes wanted to show his wife how
easy he could quit.


So Monday morning he remarked care
lessly TO Samantha that he guessed he
would stop using tobacco. Samantha
said she was glad of it, and added, impe-
tuously, what she had never said before,
that il was a vile habit. Smikes appear
ed little nervous and confused when
Samantha said this, and mumbled out
something about being glad he had never
got into it himself la bis agitation he
pulled out his tobacco box and was about
to take a chew when he rccolected him
self, and plunged out of of the front door
forgetting his umbrella. About half way
to the the Office he met Jones with whom
he was having some business transactions.
While they were talking the thing over,
Smikes got little enthusiastic, and he
almost reached the Office before he no.
ticed that he was rolling au uncommonly
plump quid around his mouth like a
sweet morsel. How it got there Smikes
did not know. He puzzled over that lit
tie thing all the rest Of the forenoon, and
at last he took it out Of bis mouth aud
threw it away, satisfied that be must have
taken 1t while talking with Jones.


Twice that afternoon Smikes took out
his tobacco box aud looked at it, Once
be took of the cover and smelled Of the
tobacco. 1t smelt 50 good that smikes
felt impelled to remark to himself that it
was the easiest thing IN the world TO stop
chewing. lie congratulated himself again
and again that day that he did not be-
come eutaugled IN the mcshes Of tho filthy
vice, aud be alluded 70 the matter three
or four times that evening at the tea table
till Samantha maryeled greatly at the
+ iirmuess Of smikes. She had away.
/ heard, she said, that it was hard thing
leave of. But Smikcs had told her, and
kept telling her, that II was just as easy,
aud her reverence for the vital strength
and independence Of character Of Smikes
grew ike a gourd.


I That night smikes had the nightmare.
7 lie thought that a legion Of foul deuds
tad got lin IN q corner of the back yard,
aud had rolled upcn bis belly nousu0us
. guild OF fne cat, az large around a. & car,
wheel, and that they were trying 10 force
. il into bis mouth smikes Struggled wig
or0usiy, aud wben Samantha shook him
and asked what was the matter, Bis only
replg was, that anybody could stop chew
lag II be only made up his mind 70.


The mex. day smikes was little uer-
yous. He told everybody who came III
what a simple thing II was to stop ehew-
Ing. The lhiri day be harped about II