After a few short successful years, however, all hopes were blighted;
he was thrown into an insane asylum a physical wreck. The doctors said
that tobacco had done it; but regardless of this, he was each day given,
according to the rules of the asylum, a small quantity of tobacco.
For twenty years he was in this seemingly hopeless condition; and then
suddenly, one day as he was walking the floor, his reason returned, and
he realized what was the matter. Throwing the plug of tobacco through
the iron grate of his cell, he said: "What brought me here? What keeps
me here? Why am I here? Tobacco! tobacco! tobacco! God help, help!
I will never use it again!"

He was restored; and for ten years he preached the gospel.

But not only does tobacco injure the mind; it also affects the blood and
sensitive tissues and the different organs of the body, which in order
to act normally and to do their work properly must be in healthful
condition. When the blood becomes saturated with the deadly poison that
comes from the pipe or cigar, and the soft membranes of the mouth become
filled with the poisonous secretion from the quid, as a consequence,
every member of the body becomes affected, and disease and suffering
are the final results. Lord Bacon said, "To smoke is a secret delight,
serving to steal away men's brains." Many others have expressed
themselves in even louder terms against the evil effects of tobacco;
but we must now return to John and to Ed, his stepuncle.

Soon after Ed came to live in the family, he paid a visit to a
neighboring town; and while there, he stole from a store a case of plug
tobacco. This he stealthily brought to his sister's new home, confiding
his secret to no one except John; and by generous promises he persuaded
John to say nothing about the matter. At this time John was in his