Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-09-04
HE SMOKED BY PROXY.
.ow UNCLE IRA TRIP. OF scRAN-
TON, STOPPED SMOKING.

nj. ph,.ieian Ordered Him to Give Up |
Consuming ruenty-nve Cigars n DAY,
So the old Sian Hired q smoker to nlow |
th. odor 81 the weed Inio his Pace.
"Uncle Ira Tripp. OF Scranton" said a
former resident Of Scranton, now Of this
city, "was for years familiar figure
down town IN New York. when tho old
Merchants hotel WINS In existence In
Cortlnudt street. Ills -. erect form
bis immense flowing beard. white as
snow. aud, more than all. the peculiar
manner In which he enjoyed his cigar,
attracted attention to him nt once.
"When Bill Schenck gave mp tho
Merchants aud took the Westminster.
No town. Uncle Ira became just 90 strik.
ing figure In that part Of tho city, ON
his visits 10 New York lie was one Of
tlie oldest aud richest individual coal
operniors In the Lrckawanna valley, his
father being one Of the pioneers Of tho
REGION, aud settled on land that, when
c1al was discovered, proved 10 be ia thc
richest part Of tho anthracite belt
Thirty years ago Ira Trip. from one
Of the riggcics' u mon. had gradually
fallen into poor health. Ills physician
told him that ho was slowly dying from
nicotine poisoning, and that unless be
gave mp smoking bis end was not Ear oil.
For years he had smoked daily from
twenty 10 twenty-five of tho strongest
imported cigars he could buy, aud Il was
rappnsod that he was 10 welded 10 tho
habit that Il would be an impouibility
for him TO break H.
'Dit he did break u, and broke Il
fauarc Of, too. 30 far ~ smoking cigars
himself WIS conccrncdj but he continued
TO enjoy his smoke right along, after u
novel plan Of his own. He bought tho
same kind Of cigars he had always
tmokcd, and then hired q man 90 accom-.
many him wherever he went. smoke tho
cigars aud blow every put Of the fra.
grant yapor into his face, 10 that he could
inhalo It.
SECONDHAND SMOKE.
oft wasn't long before Ira declared that
he got inat ~ much enjoyment. ont Of
his smoke nj secondhand ~ he ever did
WHEN ho was pulling away at HE Per
fectos himself lie had hard work,
though, 10 get smokers who were willing
or able tn commune couple " dozen
strong cigars. one quickly following tho
other. IN tho course Of day aud even
ing, aud ut tho same time be companions
agreeable to him. Two resigned after q
few months trial, one was discharged VI
the spot tot iuhaling tho smoke bciou
putting IL into tho face of the gentleman
Tor whose benefit and not his own pleas
urc no was smoking, and two died In th'
service.
lit was not until about fiteon year
hgothat Uncle Ira gotta man that suite
him exactly. and that was his c0loru,
man. John, who illcd tho bill In ever
fc.pect, and became tho old mans con
slant attendant and smoker For all
know John was smoking for him mp Il
tho day lac died.
"somc years ago. when Bill schcncl
was still running tho old Merchants
Uncle Ira was guest there aud q
course had John along. Al that tim
Karl Kase. well known nowspapc
man OF that day, since dead, was NJ
hahituo OF tho Merchants, and lao nn'
Uncle Ira got well acquainted. kar
suited Ira 10 well that he was content &
let him rest John for hours at q atrctc
In doing tho proxy smoking, u tas
which was most agreeable 20 tho JON
nslist, as no was a lover Of tho weed.
"Ono day Uncle Ira had business II
town aud he asked Karl 10 accompan
him aud do tho smoking, and Of cours
Karl went with lin. They got on III
front platform OF Sixth avenue car q
Broadway and Ncsey street. aud Karl u
u cigar. As the car trundlcd along h
kept putting the smoke into lrlaiacc an
Ira stood with his back against the en-
Of the ear enjoying tho cigar with siler
satisfaction.
~ INDIGNANT WOMAN.
"rhc elaboration aud persistence viii
which the Young man blew tho smol
into tho Old mans face finally attract,
tho attention Ut an old lady In the en-
She watched tho proceeding for sou
time. her Indignation steadily rlsin
until she could no longer endure VIII
rho regarded rs an ouirngoon the part
the young man against tho gray viii
kprud old gentleman. She whipped Of
Of her scat, threw tho door Of the G
open. aud grabbing Karl Kaso by u
shoulder, jcrked him half way aroun
and then with ono blow u her hand fel
the cigar fying from his mouth TAR IN
tue street
"'There, you impudent young puppl
on, exclaimed Amt you ashamed
yourself. blowing your nasty smoke In
that poor old name facof
"Iho poor old man and karl We
dumioundol for q momcut, aud the
the situation struck Ira, anu no tire
his head back and laughed 50 loud ia
be could have been heard block, Ia
joined In the laugh, and the old lad
who had whipped hacl, 90 her seat agui
tai bolt upright aud stared Mt the two
amazomcnt The other passengers
The car and tho conductor and drive
although they had NO iloa Of the peculi
relation there was between Uncle /
and Kari Kase, were forced to laugh all
and tho well meaning old lady atopp
the ear and ilouncod 10 tho street ~
high state Of confusion and indlgnatio
IAN aho was going to Ono llundr
and Filty.ith street, said the c0ndt
Tor, which mado Uncle Ira roar aga
rs he handed karl fresh perfec
That incident ever after was the {
mans fayonte Rnecdoic,"-Now Yo
snn.