Salt Lake City, Utah: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mutual Improvement Association, March 1926
Fiction, Short Story
Mrs. Rogers is disappointed that her son, Seymour, is smoking, but when she confronts him about it, he says that he will give up smoking when she gives up coffee. Even though she knows coffee is against the Word of Wisdom, she can't give it up, and she watches as he falls away from the Church and engages in worse and worse behavior. Eventually, he gets into a drunk-driving accident with his coworkers, is hospitalized, and loses his job. Desperate, Mrs. Rogers agrees to give up coffee, only managing it through faith and prayer. Seymour gives up smoking and starts going back church meetings, and his old boss gives him his job back when he learns that Seymour has improved so much.