The Washington times., 1903-08-23

may not be sufficient excuse Tor
cultivating a fondness for tobacco
in general and expensive cigars in
particular-if excuse be needed-but it's
strangely true that cigars. generally
good cigars. have many times saved VAL
liable human lives.
NJ Guizot, the great French historian,
for instance, owes his life to a cigar
One day he was walking in one of the
gardens of Paris when he noticed that
he was being followed by a shabbily
dressed man, who evidently had some
purpose in view which included the his
torian.
NJ. Guizot finally sat down on bench
and his unweIcome follower seated him
self there also. all the time watching
him with threatening air which might
have proved disconcerting to a man
troubled with nerves." The historian
was not troubled. He pulled cigar
out OF his pocket and lighted it.
At that action the strange man arose
and muttered that he had been mis-
taken, as the scoundrel he meant TO kill
did not smoke. The historian was con-
siderably puzzled by this occurrence
until he learned several days afterward
that man answering the description OF
the fellow who had followed him had
been arrested for a murderous assault
on a public official. against whom he
had a grudge. He had mistaken NJ.
Guizot for the official, and no doubt
would have made the assault on him had
he not pulled out the cigar.
The late King Humbert OF Italy in his
youth was an habituaI smoker. One day
while driving through the streets OF Ma
pies he happened to drop a cigar which
he had Just lighted. He noticed that
sinsularly detected looking citizen dart
ed forward and grabbed the cigar from
the street. He thought nothing more OF
the matter until some months later.
when it was called to his memory upon
receipt of an unsigned letter relating
that the writer had been on the verge or
committing suicide when he had CHANGED
to pick up the cigar which the King had
dropped.
The smoking of this, he said, had
changed the moodiness of his thoughts
for the time being, and the impulse 10
suicide had been overcome. He added
that he was happy TO say that the
troubles which had threatened TO over
whelm him then had left him. In that
case the Kings cigar saved not himself
but the other man.
Then there is the story of how Signor
Mario. the famous tenor. saved his life
with a cigar. The singer had Just started
on a long railroad journey when the
man with whom he was locked in the
compartment drew a truculent- looking
knife from his pocket and announced
that he intended to cut his throat. The
singer recognized that he had to deal
with a crazy man, and he saw that cool
ness alone could save him. as it was
highly probable that a struggle would
end in the maniac accomplishing his
purpose.
Before you begin, wouldn't you like
10 smoke good cigar?" he asked OF his
murderous companion.
THAT wouldn't be bad idea" said
the man. laying aside his knife My
nerves will be steadier."
Mario gave him the biggest cigar he
had in his case, and when the crazy
man had smoked It he offered him an
other big one. The man continued
smoking the singers cigars, and luckily
for the Italian he had a good supply. The
man was still smoking when the train
stopped at the next station. and Mario