The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-04-30

Commercial GAzestS. :.
The cancer of the throat which Is
slowly but surely eating away the lie OF
Gen. Grant, has by some medical author
tiles been attributed TO the inveterate
smoking for which the hero OF Apo
mattox is noted. Others again ridlcnle
the theory. The subject is one that mas
received considerable discussion IN the
medical journals.
In the popular Imagination Gen.
Grant has always been associated with
cigar. He has been called the greatest
smoker in the world. IL Ii
marked peculiarly of the man
When at The Hague, on his tour around
the world, at the dinner rendered IN bis
honor by the Dutch King, cigars were
either omitted in the menu, or perhaps II
YVES thought discourteous to smoke In
the presence of royalty. When General
Grant was, therefore, observed TO take 8
cigar from his pocket and conplacentiy
light it-in the presence os the king
there was q murmur of surprise. "But,
then" 1t was said, "he is great man
8 very great man" In the sim plicIty OF
the Dutch court it was thought probably
that none but the very great would dare
TO smoke on such an occasion. Il is gen.
orally believed that Gen. Grant has been
an Incessant smoker ever since his boy
hood. 1t may be news to many to learn
that it is only since the famous battle OF
Shiloh that the general became SO fond
OF the weed. A Commercial Gazette
reporter, in conversation with an init
mate Cincinnati friend of Grants, was
told the story of the ''cigar."
The general, in speaking to his Gin
cinnatI friend of the popular idea that
he was q lifelong smoker, said that prlor
to the battle OF Shiloh he rarely, very
rarely smoked that only once In great
while did he stake SMOKE" and that ii
had never been a habit, much less a
pleasure. At the battle of Shiloh
be CHANGED to smoke cigar, while rid
ing over the field, and the newspaper
correspondents, seizing upon the incl
dent, described it graphically In their
accounts OF the battle to the papers in
the north. The idea of a victorious
commander of great army, in the midst
OF frlghtful scenes of carnage and de-
struction, surrounded by the dangers Of
battle, with q nations life hanging on
the result, looking on calmly and serene
lY-complacently smoking q cigar
when most men would be overcome with
excitement, if not nervousness, was
something that appealed irresistibly to
popular admiration. Here was a man
who was not to be frightened by the
dangers of war; who knew that IN wal
the mass of men are almost frantic with
| the fire of battle; that it meant death
and destruction: that this was the bust
ness of wal; and the GOODNESS of his
mind seemed to say: 1.-THE only way to
do is to strike blow upon blow, and thus
crush the rebellion"
1t was the idea of butcher, but the
idea of war, and the mistake ofthe army
| of Potomac was, in not recognizing i
and failing to follow up q victory, Oh
| ''leaving its work only half finished,
as Gen. Grant expresses it, for fear tina
there would be greater losses.
Grants admirers and friends, reading
the accounts of the battle, supposed hin
to be great smoker, and almost delug
ed him with cigars. Every express
| brought boxes OF cigars as presents from
| his northern friends. AS the genera
said, ''There were always two or thre,
boxes on the table in my tent or head
| quarters free for the use of my staff anC
| visitors. Having them always at hand
1t was but natural that 1 should ever!
little while take a fresh cigar. and il
that way the habit grew upon me so tina
1t became irresistible, and the people NJ
doubt are right in calling me an inveter
| ate smoker.