Bisbee daily review., 1911-04-08
HeGayeU A Fortune Because He Couldn't Wait a Few
 Hours For a Smoke
 By JAMES p. WALKER Copyright by American Press Asso-
 ciatiOn. 1911.
By JAMES p. WALKER
Copyright by American Press Asso-
 citation. 1911.

--fh United States infantry and haN- ing been referred to her father, { wrote him a note asking when I could see him alone. there being an impor- tant matter about which l desired to confer with him. Of course he knew what that matter was In reply re- eeived an invitation to dine with him at his club-the Army and Navy. We dined in a private room. I purpOsely waited till the dinner was finished and the colonel had drunk his share of the wine. I was about to open the sub ject for which we had met when he stopped me by laying his hand on my arm. Then. reaching back of him. he pushed a button. A waiter appeared, and the colonel ordered him to bring one ffst rate cigar.
 Now, Genevieve had posted me on one matter about which I must be very careful. On no account was to let her father know that I used tobacco in any form. The colonel de tested even the word tobacco.
 Thanks. colonel" said T never smoke"
 "Oh. you don't?" he replied. Then, turning to the waiter, he repeated the order. The cigar was brought and placed before me. You either smoke that cigar" said my host. "or the ob- ject''-
 He paused. I knew what he meant and. taking the cigar. l cut off the end. lit it and began 10 smoke.
 Before entering upon any other sub ject," the colonel continued, T have a story to tell you. My family knows that there is something about tobacco that excites my ire. If they knew the cause it would make trouble, at least between me and my wife. But won't tell the yarn wrongside foremost; I'll begin at the beginning.
 When I went to West Point the ob- ject of my ambition was not to take high grade in my studies, but 10 be n cadet officer 1 was very careful not to get demerits and kept my equip ments well polished. was made g corporal, which put me in the line of promotion. and l confidently looked forward to being a cadet captain when I became first class man. Immedi- ately after my promotion l strolled into the room of one of my classmates, where I found several cadets smoking. It was then against the rules of the academy for cadets to smoke. 1 was offered a eigar-I had never touched tobacco in any form-and. like a fool, took one"
 The colonel grew red in the face. and there was ali irritated look in his eye.
 Well. coloneI?" I said. blowing a cloud.
 'An inspecting officer walked in and caught us all smoking. My chevrons were stripped from my arm, and served the rest of my term a private"
 That was too bad" remarked sym pathetically.
 followed. Tint one whiff of the weed gave me a taste for tobacco that have never got over"
 But you don't smoke"
 "No. I don't. and if you'll be patient you'll learn the reason."
 ''Go on. colonel"
 From that time forward. feeling l that I might as well be hanged for al old sheep as a lamb. smoked like a i ferryboat I was caught smoking ss | often that my demerits came very neal preventing me from graduating. As | was, I was put into the infantry in stead of the engineers, where, when entered, hoped to come out
 'sThe course laid out for myself wS, this: vowed I would not remain il the army, marry and bring up fam l fly of children on an officers pay. Be ing poor as a church mouse, resolved to marry rich girl and make the arrci a lifelong profession.
 After tackling a good many girl who I supposed had money I met witt success with one whom will call Anne lia Jones. She was the only daughte of old Jones, who had made fortun' in a patent of some kind. and hi daughter told me that he would settl half a million on her the day she wa married, provided he approved of he fiance. Just as soon as proposed t Amelia and was accepted she told m that when l came to meet her fathe must stop smoking till after the wed ding The old man was violently or posed to tobacco'-
 singular I interrupted. that th same thing is repeated in the case O your daughter"
 "VOt so singular as you suppoS when you hsve heard me out
 "Amelia said that after the prom ised settlement had been made coul blow q cloud in the old daffer's face liked-or words to that effect-for h couldn't take back what he'd giveI Since was to get nice girl s.d $25 poo a year with her l thought coul manage to stop smoking during an CT gngement. especially since I was du to be ordered west in three month md we were to be married before th change came.
 That was the hardest three month to get through in my life. I've ser
 ad on alkali plains and in a wilde
 ness. but could smoke and didn't su
 fer. I had promised my hance tha
 would take no risk-indeed. that