A Famous Smoker.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 May 1910, Page 4

A Famous Smoker.

MARK TWAIN AND THE WEED

A heavy smoker all .his life, Mark Twain "stuck to -the weed" to the very end,. J£von when tho doctors pronounced his wise hopeless, \w insistod that he should he allowed to smoke a certain number of cigars every day. The cigars he likod were very full-Havoiired, and tho ruling passion was .strong in death. When Charles Nuttull, an Australian artist, spenlt a (by with Mark Twain in I ( JU7, the humorist smoked cigars and talked about cigars nearly all the time. That is what Mr \uttall wrote in May, 1007 :— "Mary was in bed—such a bed! A huge Venetian four-poster, ornately carved and furndshed wilth | splendid hangings. Tho humorist by propped with pillows, a falb, rank-stnelling cigar in his mouth, a book in bis hand, Jiis knees drawn up to form a book-rest. On a table at the side of the bed were u cigar-box, a tobacco jar, and a small black pipo. None buit a case-hardened smoker could have endured tiie atmosphere of the room for half an hour. "Somehow, the face of the main on the bed looked older than ilb had appeared from across the street. Time has marked deep .ruts in that mask of comedy. The eyes beneath the busby, concentrated brows express vitality, 'business energy, dominant purpose, with «i touch of world - weariness — anything and everything that represents a serious outlook. lint to mo they showed no indication of the well-springs of fun that lay behind the mask; in tliiose eyes was no clue to Ithe quaint genius that produced ' Tom Sawyer,' and the ' Innocents Abroad.' "Ho took my band in a firm grasp, then asked me to be seated, and pushed tho cigar-box toward me. " ' Have a piceo of rope,' he said. " The cigars were labelled 'Saudow'—that was enough, let alone, the appearance of the things. I shrugged my shoulders. '" Isn't the fact that T am able to smoke them an evidence of itho impregnable nature of my constitution?' said he. " ' Yes—h'm—but would you not rather pu'fc the one you'.re smoking amongst tho coals and ttry one of mine?' and T produced a case filled with the weeds marked; 'Henry Clay.' "He took one and held it gingerlv between his fingers. ' A Henry Clay,' said he. 'Why, bless my soul, you don't mean to say that vou bat en on these things regularly?' "'Xo; only when T give myself a. treat.' "'But, lad, it isn't right! These aro for little sissy-hoys who are just weaning ofF cigarettes—for old seniles whose doctors have limited their smoking to one puff a day; but for men — !' He inhaled and blew out an evil-smolling cloud of cremated ' Sandow.' " : Now, what pleasure does a sane man get from doing the thing (that anyone can do Your sister, your wife, could smoke a Henry Clay without experiencing the least internal discomfort. How many smokers aro there who could each consume twenty-five of these ' Saudows' a day for seven days in each w'ee kof the year? , "'Alas, how few!' I was sketching .and I felt the odor of burnt ' Sandow' was clogging my wits and. •argument was out of the question. "Kmm beneath us came tho souikl of a .sweet voice, singing an air from ' Kaust.' Twain lay back in .his pillows and listened conteiiitdly. " ' Your daughter?' I ventured. " ' Yes,' said ithe proud father. 'Sweet voice, isn't it? It's hereditary; she, got it from me.' " Replying to a jocular remark, the humorist then said: " ' I'm not going to die just yet.' " He drew his .brows together as lie considered ithe sketch I. had done. ' Is my nose just lige that?' he asked. "'Your nose is decidedly acquiline,' f replied. "'lt is a much-abused organ. 1 have taken it with me on my trips around the world. It has sniffed and snorted over most of the smells of the unspeakable East. In Japan, Chiiiii. India and Egypt it has curled with wraith and trouble, and at Port Said it almost ceased to be of use at all. Ever been to i'ort Said?' " Xo.' said I; 'but why didn't you smoke " Sandows" while you were there? , " ' I did,' said Twain, sadly, "but the servants at the hotel threatened to strike, and T had to use a pipe during my stay.' " ' Did'they find the odor of "Sandows" worse tlinm the smells of .the town?' "'Well, 'they were used to their native stinks; in fact, they liked them, petted them, cultivated them, carried , them around with 'em. And I—yon see T'd grown accustomed to ftihe "Sandow" aroma. It was just a matter of taste.' "A servant announced Mr Ashcroft, and Twain said, 'Now. As'hcroft will show you where tho billiard table, is kept, and I'll he witlb you in. a jiffy. How many will you give mo?' (Meaning points at billiards). " ' Oh, , 1 replied lightly, 'let us play even in the first game.' Herbert Spencer was right when ho told the guardsman that proficiency at billiards is sure evidence of an ill-snenifc youth. Logically. T ought to be proud of the fact that I was ibeaton so easily. Twain smoked all the time we were plny-