p smoking as I did thirty-five years ago, because I never
would begin and therefore would not need to stop. I am not a fanatic
on the question, but I believe every father in my presence, who uses
tobacco, will be glad to have me say that which I will now say to the
boys who are dulling their brains, poisoning their blood and weakening
their hearts by the use of cigarettes.

Boys, I believe a cigar made me tell my first falsehood. When I was
fifteen years of age I felt I must smoke if I ever expected to be a
man. Father smoked, our pastor smoked, and so did almost every man in
our neighborhood. My mother opposed the habit, but I thought mother
did not know what it took to make a man.

I heard her make an engagement to spend a whole day ten miles from
home the following week, and that day I set apart for learning to
smoke cigars. I laid in some fine ones, six for five cents, and when
mother went out the gate on her visit, I started for the barn. In a
shed back of the barn I took out my cigars, determined to learn that
day if it required the six cigars for my graduation. The first cigar
was lighted and with every puff I felt the manhood coming; but in
about five minutes I felt the manhood _going_. Just then my uncle
called: "George, where are you?" When I answered he said: "Come here
and hold this colt while I knock out a blind tooth."

Horsemen before me know some colts have blind teeth and to save the
eyes these must be removed. I staggered to the colt, held the halter
rein and when the tooth was removed my uncle, looking at me, said:
"What's the matter with you? You are pale as death."

"Nothing, only it always did make me sick to see a blind tooth knocked
out of a horse's mouth," I replied.

My uncle said: "You better lie down on the grass until it passes off,"
and I did.

But I kept on after that until I learned to smoke like a man. When
years had passed and I became editor of a paper it seemed to me I
could write better editorials with the smoke curling about my face.

One morning I finished my breakfast before Mrs. Bain had half finished
hers. Lighting my cigar I stood by the fire chatting and smoking until
the stub was all that remained. Then, as was my custom, I walked up to
kiss her good-bye when she said: "Good-bye. But, I would like to ask
you a question. How would you like to have me finish my breakfast
before you are half through yours, light a cigar, smoke it to the
stub, and with tobacco on my lips