The Smoking Out of Bella Butts

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As secretary of the Anti-Smoking Society, Bella Butts proceeds to clean up the town of Hicksville and cure its citizens of the pernicious habit of smoking. The Ladies' Aid Society is won over to the cause, by means of a most amusing practical demonstration of the harmful effects of smoking, and as the Mayor's wife is a member of the Ladies' Aid, that gentleman is unduly influenced to champion the cause. He posts a proclamation throughout town and closes up the one cigar store. All the men have to smoke corn silk. The Mayor loses his popularity and becomes very irritable because of the sudden stopping of his favorite after-dinner cigar. The rest of the town's citizens who formerly had been inveterate smokers, also became ill-tempered, and make life miserable for their families. The women begin to regret giving in to Miss Butts' strong-mindedness, but it is now too late. Fortunately for all concerned, a cigar salesman shows up in town. He is almost mobbed by the men, who buy his entire stock of smokables and then, led by the Mayor, all cautiously steal off to a vacant woodshed, where they lock the door and proceed to make up for their long abstinence from the weed. Miss Butts and Miss Jones happen by and see a dense volume of smoke pouring from the shed. They conclude it is on fire, and call out the local fire company. Farmer Jones is the only fireman to respond, but after some exciting experiences, he manages to shove the hose nozzle in the shed window. The stream hits the Mayor full, knocking him over and drenching the others. All rush out and the crowd of women outside cheer the "rescues." The Mayor is so mad he grabs Jones and wrestles him all over the place. Jones hangs onto the hose, however, with the result that all the by-standers are deluged. After the water is turned off, Bella Butts is escorted out of town by the band and told to stay out. The Mayor and the other men smoke up harder than ever and happiness once more reigns supreme.