Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-06-13
, ,HeGaveUp
A Fortune
Because He f9elds't Walt a fs~
Hours For q Smoke
By JAMES p. WALKER
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911

| Copyright by American FTess A5So
| citation, 1911 J
Having proposed to Genevieve,
daughter of Colonel Mechard Of the
-th United States infantry and hav-
ing been referred to her father.
wrote him a note asking when could
see him alone, there being an impor'
tant matter about which I desired to
confer with him. OF course he knew
what that matter was. In reply re-
ceived an invitation to dine with him
at his club-the Army and Navy. We
dined in q private room I purposely
waited till the dinner was finished and
the colonel had drunk his share Of the
wine. / 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 q button. A waiter appeared.
and the colonel ordered him to bring
one first rate cigar.
Now, Genevieve had posted me on
one matter about which l must be
very careful. On no account was |
to let her father know that l used
tobacco in any form. The colonel de-
tested even the word tobacco.
Thanks, colonel" I said. II 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 OBJ
ject"-
He paused. I knew what he meant.
and. taking the cigar, cut off the
end, lit it and began to smoke.
Before entering upon any other sub
ject," the colonel continued, II have
story to tell you. My family knows
that there is something about tobacco
that excites my ire. If they knew The
cause 1t 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 OBJ
ject Of my ambition was not to take
high grade In my studies, but to be q
cadet officer. I was very careful moi
to get demerits and kept my equip
ments well polished. I was made u
corporal, which put me in the line OF
promotion. and confidently looked
forward to being cadet captain wheu
became a first class man. Immedi.
ately after my promotion I strolled
into the room of one Of my classmates
where found several cadets smoking
1t was then against the rules OF the
academy for cadets to smoke. l was
offered a cigar-I had never touched
tobacco in any form-and. like fool
took one"
The colonel grew red in the face. and
there was an irritated look in his eye.
"Well. colonel" said, blowing g
cloud.
IAN inspecting officer walked in and
caught us all smoking. My chevrons
were stripped from my arm, and
served the rest of my term private"
"That was too bad" ! remarked sym
pathetically.
ut was nothing compared with what
followed. That one Whit Of the weed
gave me a taste for tobacco that
have never got over"
"But you don't smoke"
mo, I don't, and If you'll be patient
you'll learn the reason"
"Go on. colonel"
From that. time forward, feeling
that I might as well be hanged for az
old sheep as q lamb, I smoked like
ferryboat. I was caught smoking sc
often that my demerits came very nea,
preventing me from graduating. AS i
was, was put into the infantry In
stead Of the engineers, where, when
entered. I hoped to come out
1.-THE course laid out for myself wai
this: vowed would not remain II
the army, marry and bring up fam
lily Of children on an officers pay. Be
ing poor as church mouse, I resolved
to marry a rich girl and make the army
a lifelong profession.
"After tacklingsa a good many GIRL
who supposed had money met Will
success with one whom will call Anne
liza Jones. She was the only daughte
Of old Jones, who had made a fortune
in q 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 hel
fiance Just as soon as proposed t
Amelia and was accepted she told M
that when I came to meet her fathe
must stop smoking till after the wed
ding. The old man was violently op
posed to tobacco
singular" I interrupted, "that tn
same thing is repeated in the case o
your daughter"
"Not so singular as you suppos
when you have heard me out
"Amelia said that after the prom
ised settlement had been made coul'
blow q cloud in the old buffers face
I liked-or words to that effect-for b
couldn't take back what he'd given
Since was to get nice girl and $25
900 a year with her thought coul'
manage to stop smoking during an en-
gagement. especially since I was du
to be ordered west in three month
and we were to be married before tn
change came.
'That was the hardest three month
to get through in my life. I've ser1
ed on alkan plains and in a wildel
ness, but I could smoke and didn't sui
fer. had promised my flance tha
I would take no risk-indeed. that
would not smoke once TIL the expir'
ton Of the term. or. rather. till
o'clock noon on the day we were to
married. At first was so hungry Il
smoke that l kept few cigars In
bureau drawer where I could SINE
them, but found 1t was like drunl
ard smelling liquor. 1 had to give
up. kept a record of the days to
passed before the wedding day IN
scratched of each day as 1t passes
And when they began to dwindle e.
cry day seemed a month-not befol
the wedding, but before I could smok
"At last the day Of my eWancipatio
, came. I had received my orders