The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-01-01
Gen. Grant on Smoking.

From Conversation With the General
| Five Years Ago Now Related by Row. s.
II. Lee i'll New York independently
"Did you tell the Girard college boys
tho other day, as the papers reported,
:hat you were glad that they werefor-
hidden to smoke, because if they did
not smoke now, they would be less
likely to do so i'll later years?"
"Did the papers say said that?"
"Yes."
"Nell, then, said it," Then after
brief pause, us if trying to recall the
circumstance: cat any rate, that is
what / think. II could have my way,
[ would let nobody smoke under 81
gears OF age. 1t is much more injuri-
ous to boys than to adults. What
.ver it may do to men, it is certainly
Dad for the young" Then, us if the
questionable side of the practice were
still before his mind, he went on:
'The newspapers are responsible for
ny smoking"
"How is that? Do they charge you
With smoking more than you do?"
eyes; but that is not what mean.
[ mean that it Is because of what they
lid that am smoker. Before the
var used to smoke very rarely; once
IL SIX months, perhaps, l would
smoke a pipa; but had no taste for
smoking, no habit, and was not a
smoker. When went into the army,
1T times of liesure,I smoked more; but
aot much ut first. In those days the
papers did not think much of me.
lid not pay much attention to their
men i'll the army. ! did not have
chem at my mess. They used to
speak OF me us inaccessible. They
called me you know, 'the man on
horseback the silent man. the man
with cigar in his mouth and when
Fort Donelson was taken they got me
into trouble. TO be sure, / was pro-
noted; | was made major-general
right off, but the papers wcrodown on
me, and on account OF what they said
| was put under arrest, and my COM
mand taken from ME for a week.
However, the people up North
we're so glad to have l2,odo or l5,.
900 rebels to feed that they said 'Ifthat
man has Il cigar in his mouth, he ought
to have % good onc;;' and they
began to send me tirst-class cigars; in
s.nd from that time there was always
box OF the best cigars in the United
States on the table in 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 TEMPTATION;
everybody else enjoyed them, ! had
continued opportunity, and began
to smoke as never before. That Is
what mean when Isay the newspapers
are responsible for my being a smok-
err"
:. "Well, general, one question more,
if you please"
.Ccrtainly.'
"Did you ever suffer any inconven-
fence from the practice"
"Not that know OF. ! cannot say
what injurious effects it may vet pro-
auce; but ! have ncver felt any. Ne,
! often wish ] was not q smoker.
Especially when | go to supper, sit
down ut q and atay till midnight, and
there are ladies present, or for some
other reason | donot feel at liberty to
smoke. That is just the time when I
most want to smoke, and, if Icannot,
wish | wasnot Il smoker"
"A few more words, and [ Withdrew,
impressed, i'll Il conversation OF which
q small part is given, with the clear
ness OF his vision, his rare command
OF lansllase-always saying just on
act!y what he mcant-his simplicity,
commences. and unostentatious great
ness. Would that the boys who adj
mire him might heed his counsels to
them! Subsequent events furnish
adults an impressive commentary on
his words: u cannot say what in
furious effects it may yet produce; but