Health and Temperance

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 20, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 32.

Health and Temperance.

Headquarters.

"Oh! Oh! Oh!"

This exclamation, thrice repeated, each time with increased emphasis, brought to their feet four boys, who looked around for some way to escape.

"You needn't try to run, and you needn't burn your pockets either. You are caught, and I shall tell mother all about it. She doesn't allow her boys to smoke, and, Charley and Jack Dunn, I don't believe your mother would let you smoke if she knew it. I've a good mind to tell her."

"You are making a big fuss just for cigarettes," said Ben Stanley, in reply to his sister, who had surprised him and his companions in what they had supposed a safe hiding-place. "Cigarettes don't hurt anybody any more than sweet-fern."

"Then why don't you smoke sweet-fern?" asked Katie, quickly.

"Because we've got beyond such baby stuff as that," replied Jack Dunn. "That will do to begin on, but a fellow outgrows it before a great while."

"And do you expect to outgrow cigarettes?"

The boys were not prepared to answer this question, yet after some delay Ben ventured to remark:—

"Of course we expect to get to cigars some time; though almost everybody smokes cigarettes when they feel like it. I shouldn't wonder if father does. Anyway, he smokes a pipe out in the back yard when there isn't anybody to see him. You think he is all right, don't you? Grandmother says if I am ever as good as my father I shall be good enough, and I know you like Mr. Dunn."

"Yes I do, and father is good; but I heard mother say once that good people sometimes have very disagreeable habits. I am sure it would be better to help poor people with the money than to burn it up."

"Then what makes men do it?"

"I don't know, Jack, but if you will tell me what makes boys smoke, I will ask your father, and mine, too, why they smoke. The teacher said the other day it made boys cross and nervous, and I guess that has been the matter with Ben and Will. They haven't spoken real pleasant to me for a week. They told mother yesterday their heads ached enough to split, and I know what makes them. I shall let mother know, too."

Having said this, Kate Stanley turned to leave the boys, when they begged her to stop a minute. She was not easily persuaded, but at last she consented to stay and hear what they had to say.

"Is that the best you can say for yourselves?" she asked, when she found an opportunity to speak.

"Isn't that enough?" was responded quickly.

"More than enough," she answered. "You want to be smart and manly, and know how to smoke like gentlemen. Folks all smoke the same way, as far as I know. Esquire Blaine and old Dan Bussy, both of them, put one end of their pipes in their mouths and then puff."

"Esquire Blaine almost always smokes cigars."

"Perhaps Dan Bussy would if he had more money. But anything else is better than cigarettes made out of old cigar stumps picked up in the streets and gutters. I don't wonder they make you sick. It makes me sick just to think of it."

"Don't say any more," cried Ben. "If you want to stop anybody smoking, go to headquarters. Get father to stop, and I'll never smoke another whiff as long as I live."

"Nor I either," chimed in Will, who usually echoed his brother's sentiments.

"Get my father to stop, and Jack and I will throw our cigarettes to the dogs, and never puff again," added Charley Dunn. "The men are the ones to blame. Preach to them."

"I will," answered Kate; and it was not long before Mr. Dunn and Mr. Stanley found her arguments so convincing they were ready to set their boys an example it was safe to follow.—Temperance Banner.