Poppet's Cigarette

On one oE the brightest days of a right June, two of the fairest of fair ompany, at a seai-ide resort, satbeneath luxurious tree in a pine grove, engaged n that richest of sweet employments, isoussing the personal qualities of Mr. )ick Redfern, who, lucky dog, was enaged to be married to one of the jewels, whose name was Agnes Catherine Presen, but who was familiarly called ' Poppet " by her friends. "My love," said she, addressing her ompardon, who lay with her head rest]g upon her hands, observing her Arough her half-shut eyes, " My love, I m not above admitting to you that I iiink I've got a pretty good sort of a ellow on the whole. I admit that he ïas a few blemishes ; who has not ? "here are a few points in which I could orrect him, but, takiDg him all in all, think that, with a firm hand and resoute will, I can bring him into ;olerable subjection. I do not feel ure that a girl of your easy temerampnt would succeed with him, but , being possessed of considerable viin nd fire, am convinced that the task will ccupy me but a few hours; and so I liink I am safe in permitting you to ongratulate me on my acquisition. In ne week af ter our marriage we shall be tie happiest couple in the State." "But supposehe kicks?" "Kicks!" (this with surprised em)hasis). ivr f Q ' ' Yes, kicks. It seems reasonable nough that a young fellow, who is eniced out of bachelorhood by a pretty air sort of a girl, will not entirely reinquish his independence without a ight. And, even at the risk of making a worn foe of you, I should like to suggest soinething that has probably never entered your head." " What is it?" " Will you promisenot tofly at me?" "Nonscnse;I'm not a fury." " Very well, then. I should like just ,o hint, in the most amioable way, that 'OU have a few slight faults of your om." "I- faults!" "You have some decided faults." " Such as what, pray ?" "Oh, now, that's another thing. I don't profess to be able to point out the eams in your eye, when I am conscious there are plenty of motes in my own." " Now, please - please, Molly !" "Do you really want me to teil? fruly and honestly 1" "Certainly," was the f aint response, uttered with an appreliensive look. "Well, included among the rest," jroceeded the indomitable critic, "I jerceive a foolish obstinacy, a belief in your own self, an inability to look beyond your own desires. If you were asked, for instance, to give up a pleasure for the good of your husband, or for the benefit of any one else, you would never consent with a good grace. It is clear selflshness, mixed with a good proportion of pride, which is, if you will permit a dear friend to say so, extremely silly. " 'Well- well!" " And - " "Oh, wait a moment; let me comprehend this first. Obstinate, foolishly proud, selfish - I think I have it - go on." " No. On the whole I think I won't. You've got it all there. All the rest of the flaws in your style of mind and temper are subordinate to those. Correct there radical faults, and you will be an angel !" " Oh, but I don't admit a word of it !" "Indeed!" "Certainly On. the contrary, I am sure you have made a mistake. I am generous, conflding, yielding, and amiable; but- oh, Molly, have you got a cigarette in your pocket ? I feel that I cannot continue the course of my remarks without a stimulant." I am ashamed to say that the blondehaired Molly thrust her hand into her pocket, and pulled ont a little bunch of Honradas, from which her compamon extracted a dainty, white paper tube, and lighted it with a practiced hand. She placed it between her lips, and enjoyingly drew in a volume of smoke; then emitted it in a slender stream, until it was nearly exhausted; anc' then she heard a step in the grass behind her, and, being startled, she puffed out the rest through her noetrils, after the manner of the Cubans, and looked around. She eaw her sweetheart, Dick, towering above her, with a curious expression upon his face. He said nothing. She nodded, and, placing the cigarette between her lips, she put out her hand to iiim. He took it, and sat down. " By George!" exclamed he, first bowing to Molly. " What is the matter?" cried Poppet. " I am surprised - confounded !" "At what?" "At you." " An excellent subject." ' ' That's a fact. I thought you agreed with me tlie other night tliat this womansmoking is a bad habit ?" " Yes, certainly - if it is a habit. It is dreadful." ' ' Then it isn't the smoking, it's only the habit you refer to, is it ?" Foppet looked puzaled. There was a silence, a long ond; meanwhile Poppet smoked vigorously; her little clouds puffed into the two faces beside her, and Diok began to grow red. Finally he got up. " Poppet, I'd like to speak to you a moment." "Oh, dear ! What's it about, Dick? I can't get up." " Very well, then." He looked moody. "Is it about smoking? - is it?" "Why, yes." " Oh, then, if you are going to soold, why do you want to tako me aside 1 If it is sensible, why not give Molly the benefit of it?" Dick looked volumes. He half laughed and half swore. This was a terrible sort of girl. " Well, then, I teil you flatly I do not approve of it." "That isn't much of an argument." " But I hoped you would consider it a reason. I would quit any habit that offended you, and f eel glad of the chance of pleasing you." "If I adopted that principie, mercy knows what there would be left for mé to do. You always object." " I beg your pardon." " Which, I faney, is your polite way of telling me that I flb." " Asyou please." Dick's eyes began to light up. "Poppet, I remember distinotly that you agreed with me that it is an unpleasant sight to see a woman smoke. It is useless, hoydenish, fast, and you kuow it. I expressly ask you to throw away that cigarette." " And I say expressly that I shall do no such thing. To daré to come here, before my best friend, and ask me to give up one of the few pleasures I have, simply because your Highness has come to the conclusión that I do not show off to advantnge in a cloud of smoke ! It is preposterous ! absurd ! idiotie !" "Poppet!" "Andlwish you to understand, sir, that I shall retain as many of my habits as pleases me. It so happens that I enjoy smoking, therefore I shall smoke on all occasions, and what I like, whether it is a cigarette, or a cigar, or a meerschaum or aclay pipes- it is all the same tome." Mr. Dick Bedfern aróse easiiy to his feet, took off his hat, made a low bow, and went away; leaving his sweetheart fuming and glaring and smoking, while in her friend's eyes there was a faint trace oí' tears. "I believe it is you wlio are the idiot I" said sbe. "At any rate, I shall now enjoy my cigarette without interruption," replied the other, " and to show him how little I care for what he says, I shall go this evening and smoke a good Havana under his window. He wil] smell it, kolt out, see me and come down, and I shall forgive him." But Dick was sa vage. It was the middle of the afternoon and it.was hot, and so he broiight a jug of lemonade, and sat down. in a corner of his room, upon a Japanese fauteuil, to think over his situation. He sat until the hotel bell rang for tea. He feit neither liko eating nor drinking. A man" who feels he must give up his sweetheart rarely does. He sat until dusk. He heard them dancing, and he knew that Miss Preston was in - the middle of the rout. He grew more and more indignant, and more sure that he was right and that ehe was wrong. He nursed his troubled mind, and recalled'all her words. It was not the miserable cigarette, but it was, the disposition she sbowed. If she would act thus in the delicious moments of their courtship, what would she not be capable of doing when in the midst of the humdrum of married life ? He roasoned with himself that there was nothing to do but to surrender -her - to send back her letters and pictures, and tl1 en to go away on a sea-voyage. It grew dark. His room was but a few feet froni the ground, and they began to take down the Chinese lanterns from the trees outeide. Then it grew very dark. A little breeze sprang up, but still he kept his three windows wide open, and sat looking out at the lonely pioture. He began to feel miserable, wretched, deserted. To be suddenly berelt of that thing that gave his life a motive and an object, was to make his heart sink and his spirit fail him. It grew to be 11 o'clock. The notes of the huge bell so nded frightfully loud. As its last stroke sounded, h. thought he heard a noise in the room. He looked about cautiously. By the 'aint glow of the stars, which came down tbrough the overarching trees, he ??rceived a man's head rise cautiously ibove the sill of the furthest window. The body followed. Then it sank back again. Presently he heard footsteps in the grass just outside the window close beside him. Thenwhispers. Itseemed that there were three men. One said : "Are you sure she isn't in there 1" "Yes," was the reply ; " I saw her in the grove, not a minute ago." "Then go ahead. Get in, you two; you'll find the box in the top drawer of her bureau, on the right-hand side." Dick then remembered that Poppet, or rather, Miss Preston, had once occupied tilia room, and that she always carried a great deal of jewelry about with her at the "watering-places. Dick began to remember his boxinglessons. He slipped off his shoes, ant took a position behind a tall chair in the corner. Slowly and noiselessly two men en tered the room through the first window and in a moment the third followed Dick heard them at his bureaus. " Gad, they won't find much there though," reflectedhe. The men fumbled everything, au i ransacked every di-awer, meanwhile ut tering half-suppressed sounds of anger Dick thought he had better eommence operations. He crept out silently, anc approached them slowly. He got be hind them, and, with a savage blow knocked one fellow into the flre-plaoe and another toward the window; but, be fore he could recover to attack the third the thief, who was as good a boxer as hinaself, dealt him a tremendous blow and Dick etaggered and feil. In an iu stant all three were upon him, and a hmdkerchief was forced between hi teeth, and he was gagged, and his hand and arms pinioned. The one struck a match, and, whil secreting their own faces, they examiner him, and took possession of his watcl and wallet, and then made the complet tour of the apartment. Dick hearc them at iiia ring-box, and he knew hi diamond studs were on the way to the pawnbroker's. Suddenly one of the men whispered an alarm. "Hist! hist!" "Whatisit?" " There's a man outsidc the window, sitting on a bench. Thore was a pause. " It's a wonaan." "A woman ! don'tyou see the light of his cigar, you fooi ?" "By George, let's get out of this !" The smell of a Havana floated ia at the window. " Leave everything. If we're caught witü this stuff, it'll be ten years in quod at least." In a moment, Dick was alone. He rolled about and tried to kick. Presently he heard a voice; a woman's voice. It was Poppet. She was calling him faintly, as if she were in pain. " Oh, Dick, Dick ! come and help me ! I'm so sick - so díeádful ill ! I'm afraid I'm going to die !" "It's that Havana the little stupidhas boon trying to provoke'niewith. I'll let her suffer a little," thought Dick. For ten minutes he lay still, until he knew she was in the proper agony; then he raised his heels, and beat a tremendous tattoo upon the floor, which raised the house in a minute. When he was released he explained matters, and, bofore he could get the wondering crowd out of his chamber, Poppet appeared at the door, white and haggard. Dick ran to her and led her away. She put her acbing head upon his shoulder, and whispered: "Oh, Dick, Dick! I'll never - never be süch a fooi again. Is there anything else you'd like to have me give up - is there? Oh, Dick, did those wretclies hurt you? Poor boy - poor - oh, how my head goes around just like a t-o-p !" " You savod my trinkets for me." " But did he think he lost his Jewelf' She opened her eyes, and, by the light of the gas, she gave him a heavenly look and a smile. "liever, never !" cried Dick. He then led lier home to a pretty cottage on the top of some mighty rocks, where they fouud her father going about swinging a watchman's rattle, and raising a hue and cry for his lost one. "Never mind, pa," cried Poppet, airily. ."Never mind, indeed!" echoed the old gentleman. "Oh, you're there, Diek, are you? All right, then !" The author feels, with this model man, that it is time to retire. One does little good by penetrating too far into mystery. The two brewed some lemonade without sagar, and then went and lolled upon the wicket-gate, and gazed at the moon and the illuminated waters, and decided that life was pleasant.