Cañon City record., 1904-01-28
An Inveterate Smoker.

OF the guests neld his cigar between
bis fingers without lighting it.
why don't you smoke. Joslin?' ask
ed the host.
Il will when the clock strikes l2."
why at 1927
Il will explain. If you will permit
me. by telling story: Several years
ago | fell in love with and wooed
young lady whose father was Il crank
He had number of fads which he
inflicted mercilessly on others and a
number of antipathies which he would
not permit others to infiict upon him.
His chief dislike was tobacco in any
form.
Now. from my youth up l have
been great smoker. At ten years Of
age | bought miniature cigars or ciga-
ritos and smoked them, not because
thought il fine thing TO do. but be
cause l enjoyed them.
We'll. my devotion to the young lady
I have referred to met with a favor
able response. and l was accepted. She
gave me TO understand, however. that
she had no fortune except what her
father might give her or leave her in
his will. and ii would be impossible for
her TO marry me without his consent.
There would be no difficulty in OBJ
tanning II, and he had promised when
she married to settle third of his
property upon her. All we had to do
was to humor him until after the settle
ment, which would occur Simultaneous
ly with the marriage.
81 passed six months Of torture. 1
It-xr 4nl g.. - ~ l.. Ezr-
rode out with him In summer under
furs and in winter with not even a lap
robe. l enjoyed music which he de-
tested, so l heard none. | liked to go
to the theater, but as he condemned
theaters and actors / did not dare show
my face in playhouse. But the crown
Of deprivations was the giving up of
smoking. My fiancee informed me on
the first day OF our engagement that to
smoke In her fathers presence would
be like shaking a red rag before a mad
bull To show her how much l loved
her agreed not to smoke till after the
wedding. This she commended highly,
and l took the first opportunity to in
form her father that did not smoke.
''The time spent without my beloved
cigars was maddening. Nevertheless !
refrained, and when my wedding day
came | was as free from nicotine as a
baby. When l awoke on that mo-
mentous day admit my chief joy was
not that l was going to be married.
though l loved my fiancee desperately,
but that as soon as the settlements
were made, the marriage ceremony
over and We were driving to the sta
ton l would light d cigar. To this my
bride to be had assented-
"We were to be married at II noon in
presence only Of the family The eccen-
trio father had a horror of large we'd
dings and would consent only to a pri-
vate one I went to my room at 10
O'Clock TO dress. Ny toilet was COM
pleted in half nm hour. and had moth
ing to do till IL 80. had bought a box
OF the best cigars l could find and they
We're on my mantel. | took out a num-
Der TO put in my satchel and moments
rily held them under my nose.
Gentlemen. the fragrance OF those
cigars was irresistible. delicate. deli
ciousl intoxicating. Why notg l said
L have an hour here alone. At the
end of that hour the settlements will
= hV hAaot- W iAeh - AhNit Al
smoking here aloney l bit of the end
of the cigar. scratched match and
lighted it. Then l threw myself into
the arms of an easy chair and the arms
Of delight at the same time.
Il finished the cigar at II 20 and hur-
ried away. reaching the house in TWEEN
ty minutes. My father-in-law TO be
called me into his study to explain
some points to be attended to in the
settlements
"'The amount he said. that l give
my daughter is four hundred thou
sand he stopped short and sniffed
the air. Who's been smoking in this
roomY
L was terror stricken. but. control
ling myself, l looked sympathetic. He
went about poking his nose here and
there till. coming very near me. he
took up my arm and smelled Of my
sleeve
whats this: he exclaimed 1
thought you told me you didn't
smoke
Il tried to stammer an explanation.
but broke down.
"'Give my daughter to Il man who
has the vilcst habit known to man-not
good enough for beasts, not one OF
whom smokes, Not L.
Il argued that the preparations had
gonetoo far to retreat.
1T is never too late to retreat from
q bad bargain The marriage shall
not take place, or. II 1t does, my daugh-
ter shall go to you penniless'
"As soon as my fiancee and her moth
er received the startling news they be
gan desperate effort with the irate
man to induce him to give way. For
their sakes he finally agreed to do so