"I shouldn't be, I know," said another, admiringly. "I'm candid enough to own it, and I think your wife ought to be very much obliged to you." "On the contrary, it is I who ought to be obliged to my wife," said Mr. Dalton, while the host smoked on in silence, very red in the face, and evidently wincing under the reproof that was not meant. "I say that Dalton is a brick," whispered young Benedict. "He's splendid!" supplemented Johnny, who was thinking his own thoughts while the smoke was really getting too much for him, and presently he took his leave. The next day Johnny was thoughtful, so quiet, indeed, that everybody noticed it, and in the evening, when his father lighted his pipe with its strong tobacco, Johnny seemed on thorns. "I can't think that you don't respect mother," he blurted out, and then his face grew scarlet. "What do you mean?" asked his father, in a severe voice. "I say, what do you mean, sir?" "Because mother hates the smoke so; because it gets into the curtains and carpet--and--and because I heard Mr. Dalton last night give as a reason that he did not smoke that he respected his wife too much." "Pshaw! Your mother don't mind my smoking--do you, mother?" he asked, jocularly, as his wife entered just then. "Well--I--I used to rather more than I do now. One can get accustomed to anything, I suppose, so I go on the principle that what can't be cured must be endured." "Nonsense! you know I could stop to-morrow if I wanted to," he laughed. "But you won't want to," she said, softly. I don't know whether Johnny's father gave up the weed. Most likely not; but if you want to see what really came of it, I will give you a peep at the following paper, written some years ago, and which happens to be in my possession. "I, John Lord, of sound mind, do make, this first day of January, 1861, the following resolutions, which I pray God I may keep:-- "_First._ I will not get married till I own a house, for I expect my uncle will give me one, one of these days; mother says he will. "_Second._ I will never swear, because it is silly, as well as wicked. "_Third._ I will never smoke and so make myself disagreeable to everybody who comes near me, and I will always keep these words as my motto after I am married: "'I don't smoke, because I respect my wife.' Mr. Dalton said that, and I will never forget it. "(Signed) John Lord." And Johnny kept his word like a hero. The world will never adjust itself To suit your whims to the letter. Some things must go wrong your whole life long, And the sooner you know it the better. --_Ella Wheeler Wilcox_ STORY OF SCHOOL LIFE "Oh, girls! I shall just die, I know I shall!" exclaimed Belle Burnette, going off into a hysterical fit of laughter, which she vainly tried to smother behind an elegant lace-edged handkerchief.