Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-12-26
TOBACCO BATTERED.

wrote q, poem against tobacco) "bat-
+ tering tobacco and shattering the
pipes about their ears that idly idolize
+ so loathsonre vanity, by a volley of
/ holy shot Numbered from Mount Hell
! icon.''
The facts are interesting and were
reported as follows:
They let the members of the Grand
Army of the Republic have fremont
Temple for their somewhat lively
meetings. It is contrary to the rules
for smoking to occur in any part Of
the Temple, which DR.. Lorimer re-
cards as sacred an edifice as any
(other) church But one of "the
boys'' lit his smoker with as much as
surance as though he were in the State
House or old Faneuil Hall.
DR.. Lorimer's Office hours we quote
the Journal report) are from 4:30 to
$50, and the old soldier lit his pipe or
cigar and pulled and pulled away in
sublime Inconsistencies of impend-
ing Nemesis. The janitor suggested,
in the temporary absence of the su-
perintendent, that it was against the
rules of the Temple to permit smok-
ing anywhere within it's consecrated
precincts, and was tersely in formed
that he 'smight as we'll try to stop
water from running as to stop sol
der from smoking" Whereat the
ianitor succumbed.
When DIR. Lorimer rose in the ele-
vator ne detected an odor passing
strange, and the higher he rose the
more pungent it became, and with its
increasing pungency the more intense
his choler.
There was proclamation somewhere
most assuredly. Why, his very Office
was mellow with it. The doctor de-
scended more swiftly than he rose.
If there was vigor within, there was
still more vigor without. "Gentle-
men, if there are gentlemen here, I
want to talk to you," he said to the
crowd in the vestibule. "There shall
be no smoking here. You must stop
smoking. I will not have it.'
The veteran took his pipe out and
looked at the speaker with evident
interest but perfectly phlegmatic
composure.
81 am DIR. Lorimer, the pastor of
this Temple. You must pay heed to
what say. love the Grand Army,
I am friend of the old soldier, but
this thing shall stop in this sacred
place."
"But say, Doctor" retorted the
veteran, ''You don't expect a battle
without some smoke, do your"
"You shaE't smoke here smoke right
before the atari" thei good pastor
showed that he was thoroughly arous-
ed as a delegate came through the
door before his face with cigar butt
between his teeth. The Doctor start
ed to walk through straight up the
aisle, but was stopped by the guard
whose formula for entrance was both
parole and countersign. DR.. Lorimer
rushed down stairs after the superin-
tendent. Almost Immediately there
went short, strong note to the De-
partment Commander; it was to the
effect that unless smoking during the
encampment within the Temple was
stopped, and unless assurance was
given the pastor that it was and
would be, fremont Temple would
not longer be opened to the Grand
Armv of Massachusetts,
When Journal reporter called up
on the Doctor in his study on the sixth
floor the pastor said:
ST want to be thoroughly understood
in this matter. I have no feeling
whatever against the Grand Army,
neither have we against political con-
ventions in themselves. There is no
harm in such gatherings if their mem
bers will sit down like gentlemen,
discuss their political opinions, and
respect the building they are in, but
the difficulty is that they will n OF
do so, and it is very hard to control
them. Tt has been shown to be next
to an impossibility, Having the larg
est auditorium down town, we are
very willing to accommodate and to
do all in our power for the benefit of
the public. But our rules are very
plainly printed, and the Temple is only
to be rented subject to their pro-
visions, which expressly forbid smok
ing or the use Of tobacco in any form
within the building The trouble has
been that in all such gatherings men
will get over boisterous, will jump up
up and down on the furniture, and
will do dollars worth more damage