The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-02-21

HeGaveUp
A Fortune
Because He Couldn't Wait a Few
Hours For a Smoke
By JAMES P. WALKER
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation. 1911.

&~~~~~~~~~
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 l 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 private room. / purposely
waited till the dinner was finished and
the colonel had drunk mis- 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 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 / must be
very careful On no account was I
to let her father know that 1 used
tobacco in any form. The colonel de-
tested even the word tobacco.
Thanks. colonel" said Il never
smoke"
"Oh, you don'tT 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. knew what he meant,
and, taking the cigar, cut of the
end, lit it and began to smoke.
Before entering upon any other sub
ject," the colonel continued, Il have a
story to tell you. Ny 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; IN
beginoat the beginning.
when went to West Point the OBJ
ject of my ambition was not to take
high grade in my studies, but to be a
cadet officer. was very careful not
to get dement's and kept my equip
ments well polished. / was made a
corporal which put me in the line of
promotion. and l confidently looked
forward to being a cadet captain when
l became first class man. Immedi-
ately after my promotion / strolied
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 cigar-I had never touched
tobacco In any form-and. like a fool.
took one"
The colonel grew red in the face, and
there was an irritated look in his eye
well. colonelf l said, blowing a
cloud
IAN inspecting officer walked in and
caught us all smoking. Ny chevrons
were stripped from my arm, and l
served the rest of my term private"
THAT was too bad" I remarked SYM
pathetically.
at 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, don't. and If you'll be patient
you'll learn the reason"
go on. colonel"
From that time forward, feeling
that might as we'll be hanged for an
old sheep as lamb. smoked like a
ferryboat. was caught smoking SO
often that my dement's came very near
preventing me from graduating AS II
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 was
this: / vowed would not remain In
the army. marry and bring up fam
lily of children on an officers pay. Be
ing poor as church mouse, resolved
to marry rich girl and make the army
a lifelong profession.
AFTER tackling a good many girls
who supposed had money met with
success with one whom win call Anne
Liza Jones. She was the only daughter
of old Jones, who had made a fortune
in patent of some kind, and bis
daughter told me that he would settle
half million on her the day she was
married, provided he approved Of her
fiance. Just as soon as / proposed to
Amelia and was accepted she told me
that when / came to meet her father
must stop smoking till after the wed
ding. The old man was violently op-
posed to tobacco
singular" interrupted, that the
same thing is repeated in the case OF
your daughter"
mot so singular as you suppose
when you have heard me out.
amelia said that after the prom
ised settlement had been made could
blow cloud in the old buffers face Il
l liked-or words to that effeet-for be
couldn't take back what he'd GIVEN
Since was to get nice girl and $685.
900 year with her thought could
manage to stop smoking during an en-
gagement. especially since was due
to be ordered west in three months
and we were TO be married before the
change came.
THAT was the hardest three months
to get through in my life. I've serv
ed on alkali plains and in a wilder
ness, but could smoke and didn't sui
fer had promised my fiance that
would take no risk-indeed. that
would not smoke once till the expirs
ton of the term, or, rather, till /
O'Clock noon on the day we were to b
married. At first l was so hungry 70
smoke that kept a few cigars in
bureau drawer where / could SINE
them, but | found 1t was like a DRUM
ard smelling liquor. had to give !
up. kept record Of the days to b
passed before the wedding day an
scratched of each day as 1t passed
And when they began to dwindle ey
cry day seemed month-not befor
the wedding, but before / could smoke
"At last the day Of my emancipatio
came. had received my orders t
go west, and we were to take trai
leaving at p. m. The ceremony wa
to take place at 8. l bought thor
sand Of the best cigars could find t
have them ready and to take with m
where such cigars were not to be pre-
cured On my wedding day had m
luncheon served in my room. and AT
er had eaten and drunk opened
box. The odor was delicious.
"Then the thought came to me tina
the time Of my pledge had expired a
II o'clock. An uncomfortable desir
seized me to smoke just one Of thos
cigars took one out Of the boz
put 1t back. took 1t out again, smelle
| Of II and "a Ill lnck 1znuld have 1.