St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-11-26
GEN. GRANT ON SMOKING.
From Conversation With the General Five Year
Ago Now Related by Rev. 5. ii. Lee in New
York Independept.

From Conversation With the General Five Years
Ago Now Related by Rev. ). III. Lee in New
York Independent
"Did you tell the Girard college boys
the other day, as the papers reported,
that you were glad that they were for
hidden to smoke, because if they did
not smoke now, they would be less
likely to do so in later years ~
''Did the papers say | said that 7"
"Yes.n
"Well, then, said it !" Then after
a brief pause, as if trying to recall the
circumstance: "At any rate, that is
What | think. If 1 could have my way,
| would let nobody smoke under 81
years OF age. 1t is much more injuri-
Ous to boys than to adults Whatever
it may do to men, it is certainly bad
to the young" Then, as if the ques-
tionable side of the practice were still
before his mind, he went on: "The
newspapers are responsible for my
smoking"
Chow is thaSY Do they charge you
with smoking more than you do r.
eyes, but that is not what | mean.
| mean that it is because of what they
did that | am a smoker. BefOfe the.
war used to shfoke very rarely once
in six months, perhaps, | would smoke
II pipe but had no taste for smoking,
no habit, and was not smoker. When
| Vent into the army, at times of leis-
ure, | smoked more but not much at
first. In those days the papers did not
think much of me. | did not pay
much attention to their men in the
army. | did not have them at my
mess. They used to speak of lie as
inaccessible. They called me you
know, the man on horseback the
silent man. the man with a cigar in
his mouth and when Fort Donelson
was taken they got me into trouble.
To he sure, was promoted | was
made il major general right off, but
the papers were down OH me, and on
account of what they said | was put
under arrest, and my command taken
away from me for week. However,
the people up North were so glad to
have $1,000 or $1,000 rebels to feed
that they said, IF that man has cigar
in his mouth, he ought to have good
one > and they began to send me first
class cigars; and from that time there
was always box of the best cigars in
the United States OH the table i'll my
tent, open, and free to everybody; and
| never bought any more cigars from
that time until came East. OF course
such nice cigars were a temptation !;
everybody else enjoyed them, | had
continued opportunity, and | began to
smoke as never before. That is what
| mean when | say the newspapers are
responsible for my being a smoker"
"Well, general, one question more if
you please"
"Certainly."
"Did you ever suffer any inconven-
fence from the practice ?"
"'NOt that | know of. | cannot say
what injurious effects it may yet pro-
duce but never have felt any. Yet
| often wish ! was not n smoker. Es-
pecially when G, to supper, sit down
ut six. and stay until asidnight, and
there are ladies present, or for some
other reason I do not feel at liberty to
Smoke. That is just the time when |
most want to smoke, and, if canMot,
| wish | was not a: smoker
A few more words, and ! Withdrew,
impressed,-in n conversation of which
II small part is given, with the cleAf-
ness of bis. vision, his rare command of
language always saying just exactly
what he. meant-his simplicity. geI. y
uirHepess, and unostentaCious greatness.
Would that the bows who admire bin
might heed his c3uhsels to them !! Sub
sequent events furnish adults any inn
pressive commentary on his words :
81 cannot say what injurious effects it
may yet produce but have never
felt any"