CHAPTER XIII.
"Evil communications corrupt good manners." --1 _Cor._ 15:33.
The one drawback upon Max's perfect enjoyment of his new home was the lackof a companion of his own age and sex; the only boys in the familyconnection, or among the near neighbors, were nearly grown to manhood orvery little fellows.
Therefore, when Ralph Conly came home for the Christmas holidays, andthough four years older than himself, at once admitted him to a footing ofintimacy, Max was both pleased and flattered.
Ralph's manner, to be sure, was more condescending than was altogetheragreeable, but that seemed not inexcusable, considering his superiority inyears and knowledge of the world.
At Ion, Max played the part of host, taking Ralph up to his own bedroom toshow him his books and other treasures, to the boys' work-room, out to thestables to see the horses, and about the grounds.
To-day, at Roselands, it was Ralph's turn to entertain. He soon drew Maxaway from the company in the parlors, showed him the horses and dogs, theninvited him to take a walk.
It was near dinner time when they returned. After dinner he took him tohis room, and producing a pack of cards, invited him to play.
"Cards!" exclaimed Max. "I don't know anything about playing with them,and don't want to."
"Why not? are you too pious?" Ralph asked with a sneer, tumbling them outin a heap upon the table.
"I've always been taught that men gamble with cards, and that gambling isvery wicked and disgraceful, quite as bad as getting drunk."
"Pooh! you're a muff!"
"I'd rather be a muff than a gambler, any day," returned Max with spirit.
"Pshaw! 'tisn't gambling, unless you play for money, and I haven't askedyou to do that, and don't propose to. Come now, take a hand," urged Ralphpersuasively. "There isn't a bit more harm in it than in a game of ball."
"But I don't know how," objected Max.
"I'll teach you," said Ralph. "You'll soon learn and will find it goodsport."
At length Max yielded, though not without some qualms of conscience whichhe tried to quiet by saying to himself, "Papa never said I shouldn't playin this way; only that gambling was very wicked, and I must never go whereit was done."
"Have a cigar?" said Ralph, producing two, handing one to Max, andproceeding to light the other. "You smoke, of course; every gentlemandoes."
Max never had, and did not care to, but was so foolish as to be ashamed torefuse after that last remark of Ralph's; beside having seen his fathersmoke a cigar occasionally, he thought there could be no harm in it.
"Thank you, I don't care if I do," he said, and was soon puffing away asif quite accustomed to it.
But it was not many minutes before he began to feel sick and faint, thento find himself trembling and growing giddy.
He tried to conceal his sensations, and fought against them as long aspossible. But at length, finding he could endure it no longer, he threwthe stump of the cigar into the fire, and rising, said, "I--I feel sick. Imust get out into the air."
He took a step forward, staggered, and would have fallen, if Ralph had notjumped up and caught him.
"Here, I'll help you to the bed and open the window," he said. "Neversmoked before? Well, don't be discouraged; I was deathly sick first timemyself."
"I'm half blind and awfully sick," groaned Max, as he stretched himself onthe bed. "Does it last long? can a fellow get over it without taking anymedicine?"
"Oh, yes; you'll be all right after a little."
But Max was not all right when a servant came to the door to say that hewas wanted down-stairs, as the party from Ion were about to return home.
"Think you can get down with the help of my arm?" asked Ralph.
"Don't b'lieve he kin, Marse Ralph," remarked the servant, gazingearnestly at Max. "What's de mattah wid de young gentleman? He's white asde wall, and his eyes looks like glass."
"Hush, Sam! you'll frighten him," whispered Ralph. "Run down and ask mybrother Arthur to come up. Don't let anybody else hear you."
Max had tried to rise, but only to fall back again sicker than ever.
"Oh, but I'm sick, and how my heart beats!" he said. "I can't possibly situp, much less walk down-stairs. What will Mamma Vi and the rest say? I'mafraid Grandpa Dinsmore will be very angry with me."
"He hasn't any right to be," said Ralph; "'tisn't wicked to smoke. ButI'll tell Art not to let him know what made you sick."
Just then the doctor came in. Sam had met him in the hall.
"What's the matter?" he asked; "sick, Max? Ah, you've been smoking?"sniffing the air of the room and glancing at the boy's pallid face.
"Tell him it isn't dangerous. Art," laughed Ralph, "for I do believe he'sdreadfully scared."
"No, I'm not!" protested Max indignantly, "but I'm sick, and giddy, andhalf blind. I never smoked before, and didn't know it would sicken me so."
"How many cigars have you smoked?" asked Arthur, taking hold of his wrist.
"Only half a one," said Ralph; "he threw the rest of it in the fire."
"The best place for it," said Arthur. "Don't be alarmed, my boy, thesickness and all the other bad effects will pass off after a while; allthe sooner if you are breathing pure air. Ralph, open the door into thehall and the one opposite. Then ring for Sam to kindle a fire in thatroom."
As he spoke he took Max in his arms, and, Ralph preceding them to open thedoors, carried him into an unoccupied bedroom, laid him on a couch, andcovered him up carefully to guard against his taking cold.
"No need to ring for Sam; fire's laid all ready to kindle," remarkedRalph, glancing at the open grate.
He struck a match, and in another minute the flames were leaping up rightmerrily.
Meantime a report that Max was sick had reached the parlor, and Mr.Dinsmore, his daughter, and granddaughter came up to express theirsympathy and see for themselves how serious the illness was. Their faceswere full of anxiety and concern till they learned the cause of thesickness, when they evidently felt much relieved.
"Dear boy, I'm sorry you are suffering," Violet said, leaning over him,"but I hope you will never try it again."
"Papa smokes," he said, "so I thought it was all right for me."
"No," said Mr. Dinsmore; "a grown person may sometimes do safely what isdangerous for a younger one. You have my sympathy this time, Max, but ifever you make yourself sick in the same way again, I don't think I shallpity you at all. He will hardly be able to go home to-day, Arthur?"
"No, sir; leave him here in my care. To-morrow he will probably be quiterecovered, and I will drive him over in my gig."
"Would you like me to stay with you, Max?" Violet asked, laying her coolhand on his forehead.
"Or me?" asked her mother.
"No, thank you, Grandma Elsie and Mamma Vi," he said. "You are both verykind, but Walter and Gracie wouldn't know what to do without you; and Ishall do very well."
"Yes," said Ralph, "I'll help Art take care of him. I ought to, as I gavehim the cigar that sickened him so."
Mr. Dinsmore and the ladies then bade good-by and went down-stairs, thedoctor accompanying them, leaving the two boys alone together.
"Do you begin to get over it, old fellow?" asked Ralph.
"No; I'm wretchedly sick," said Max. "I think I've had enough tobacco tolast me all my days."
"O pshaw! it won't be half so bad next time, and pretty soon won't sickenyou at all."
"But what should I gain to pay me for all the suffering?"
"Well, it seems sort o' babyish not to smoke."
"Does it? I've never seen Grandpa Dinsmore smoke, and I don't believe heever does, nor Uncle Edward, nor Uncle Horace either."
"No, they don't, and Art doesn't, but they're all sort o' pious oldfogies," Ralph said, with a coarse laugh.
"I wouldn't talk so about my own relations, if I were you," returned Max,in a tone of disgust.
"Of course I shouldn't let anybody else say a word against them," saidRalph.
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Arthur's entrance put an end to the conversation. He inquired of Max ifthe sickness were abating; then sitting down beside him, "Boys," he said,"I want to talk to you a little about this silly business of smoking andchewing."
"I've never chewed," said Max.
"I'm glad to hear it, and I hope you never will, or smoke again either.How would you like, Max, to have a cancer on your lip?"
"Cancer, sir? I wouldn't choose to have one for anything in the world."
"Then don't smoke, especially a short pipe, for it often causes cancer ofthe lip. I cut one out of a man's lip the other day; and not long ago sawa man die from one after months of agonizing pain. Tobacco contains agreat deal of virulent poison, and though some persons use it for manyyears without much apparent injury, it costs many others loss of healthand even of life. It weakens the nerves and the action of the heart, andis a fruitful source of dyspepsia."
"Pooh! I don't believe it will ever hurt me," said Ralph.
"I think it will," said Arthur; "you have not yet attained your growth,and therefore are the more certain to be injured by its use.
"Max, my boy, I admire your father greatly, particularly his magnificentphysique."
Max flushed with pleasure.
"Do you not wish to be like him in that? as tall and finely developed?"
"Yes, sir; yes, indeed! I want to be like papa in everything!"
"Then eschew tobacco, for it will stunt your growth!"
"But papa smokes," repeated Max.
"Now, but probably he did not until grown," said Arthur. "And very likelyhe sometimes wishes he had never contracted the habit. Now I must leaveyou for a time, as I have some other patients to visit."
"I told you he was an old fogy," said Ralph, as the door closed on hisbrother, adding with an oath, "I believe he wouldn't allow a fellow a bitof pleasure if he could help it."
Max started, and looked at Ralph with troubled eyes. "I didn't think youwould swear," he said. "If you do, I--I can't be intimate with you,because my father won't allow it."
"I don't often," said Ralph, looking ashamed, "I won't again in yourcompany."