How John Became a Man: Life Story of a Motherless Boy

Big Chest

if taken in time, but if allowed to be carried out, it is impossible to tell what the re

ibed of a prison and a thief; but he soothed his conscience by saying, "There isn't anything else in the world except tobacco that I would think of stealing." But the stealing habit, like the tobacco habit, continues to grow stronger, unless it

ll suggested to the boys that they go and lend their services provided the man would give them each a chew of his tobacco in return; and Will did not forget to add that they must each take as generous a bite as their mouths could accommod

om the spot as rapidly as possible. As soon as they were far enough away, they removed the tobacco from their mouths; and they found that, by taking very small chews at a time, the amount was sufficient to last them for some time. Several times they succeede

ually washed; sometimes, however, in their eagerness they could not wait to attend to even this amount of cleanliness, but crammed the tobacco into their mouths just as th

very little returns for their efforts. But one day Will informed the boys that he had made a discovery-that he had found out that there was a lot of plug tobacco in the big chest in his father's room. "Now, if we could think up some way to get into that chest when the old folks are gone away to town," he suggested, "we could get all the chewing to

!" shouted the smaller

en will they go to town aga

e'll have to get busy and think out a way to break that lock. My, but won't the old man be mad when he find

the tobacco good, or Pa might

rned to speak low when mentioning their plans-"if we could take the hinges

e slapped his little cousin on the back. "I say, my boy, you had better look out or you'll be a

ed ideas that, for their shrewdness, were far beyond his years. For suc

ame even more active, and he said, "If we just cut a little pi

me! And now, we must have everything all ready so that the minute they leave we c

rp knife to cut the to

d; and so they planned and waited for the time

were to do their trading. All three of the boys had been unusually anxious to help their elders get started, forgetting in their eagerness that they might

brought forth the screw-driver, hammer,

ee boys hastened to the room containing the chest and were soon kne

ct my master's property from the hand of any thieves; and to the extent that it is within my power, I shall perform my duty." Its bold front and defiant appearance did not, however, daunt the

rehead the large beads of perspiration. "If these screws turned any harder, I

ng th

g, a few trinkets, etc.; but only that part of the contents that was carefully packed in one corner claimed the attention of the boys. This, a pile of long brown strips, or plugs, of tobacco, was what they wanted; and soon Will was busily engage

ging the tobacco in the chest, he said, "Look out there! You'll have to get everything just like it was, or we'll be caught and have had our fun for nothing!" When the chest was repacked, the last screw in its place, and the tiny scraps of tobacco that had fallen upon the floor had been carefully pre

t's in that trunk?" John referred to a large trunk that w

There's two of them, because I saw inside the trunk the other day." And then as the new thought presented i

runk, were arranged differently, and they could not get at them. Again it was John who suggested a plan whereby they could accomplish their desi

re them two shining weapons that were supposed to have been carefully hidden away from their inexperienced fingers. John

e of the duelists was killed. The memory of that incident and of his father's warnings, made John very careful about pointing the revolver at either of his cousins. It was, therefore, with

eedn't be afraid, John. T

It was well that John did not longer remain where he had been; for the revolver contained a solitary load, and the frequent pulling of the trigg

gave them accounts of their evil deeds. With great haste the boys returned the weapons to their former hiding place, relocked the trunk, and in so far as it was possible, co

, fun, and merry-making had been dampened; and as they wended their way to the prairie pasture-land, few words were pa

way they were going; but, although he was sad, he could not understand. He wanted to be a good boy for his father's sake (for his father was the best friend he knew); and most of all he desired t

hn might have been spared much suffering. The monk, stepping before four plants that were close by, pointed to the first, a plant just begin

anion, he said, "Pull up the f

d." The youth obeyed, b

ucceeded in uprooting the plant, he had to put

trunk of the tree in his arms, he scarcely shook its leaves; and he found it impossible to t

chfulness and by a little discipline, easily tear them up; but if we let them cast their roots deep down into our souls, no human p

ts when they told what they expected to do to him; but when he fell asleep that night, he was at their mercy. And he did not know until he awoke in the morning that while he was asleep these tiny people of whom he had made sport had bound him with innu

into the mouths of children. Tobacco is a deadly poison; and the constant use of any poison must injure the body of the one who uses it. When it has s

at the poison produces numbs his sensibilities; but the very appetite he has for tobacco is in itself a disease. In order for an habitual us

ut the leaves of the tobacco plant do serve as food for the large, green worms that live and thrive in tobacco fields.

ave resisted the temptation to stoop down, pick up a partly chewed quid of tobacco, cram it greedily into his watering mouth, an