The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-04-10
The MEERsonAuM AND THE WEED.

The MEzRsoHAux AND THE WEED
Mr. Julian Hawthorne, still pursuing his
Saxon Studies, discusses the meer-
schaum and Understanding in Dresden: /:
The goddess Nicotine has fund of good
sense. which prompts her, as q general
thing, to put smile, either broad or
latent. into the carving of her pipes and
and oigar-holders. The material is more
beautiful than either marble or porcelain,
and Is delightful to work in. A man of
leisure, education and refinement,
might benefit both himself and the
world by devoting his whole attention
There is unlimited field for inventive
design, for taste, for humor, for manual
skill and delicaoy. And how pleasant
to reflect that each pipe, over which we
thought and labored our best, will
become the bosom friend of some genial,
appreciative fellow, who will discover its
good points and be proud of them and
love theml For all good smokers are
married to their pipe; are sensitive to it's
critics and jealous of its rivals And
when the pipe is worthy of affection, it
endears itself ever more and more; and
though it be colored black with nicotine,
Is tlnged yet moro deeply with tho rich
essence of mellow "reminiscences and
comfortable associations.
The Viennese do their work we'll, and
perhaps have q special knack Mt it.
There was once, in this window which
we are now contemplating, q Skye ter
rier's head, about the size of a clinched
fist with mouth half open, and hair on
end. which only needed body to begin
barking. It was bought by Scotchman
for 912, which, if the animal was of the
true meersohaum breed, WAS dog-cheap.
This question Of genuineness, by-the-by,
Is one which every tyro believes he cnn
settle at glance. There are, he tells
you, few simple and infallible tests
easily learned and readily applied; he
talks about weight, tint, texture, spongi-
ness, and assures you that if YOU are
ever taken in. only your own carelessness
is to blnme.
1t is fallacy from beginning to end.
There is no way of telling" meer-
schaum except to smoke it for at least q
year. We may amuse ourselves with ap-
plying tests, if we like, but they will
demonstrate only our fatuity. The
dealer il as impotent to decide as any,
body, so far as judgment by inspection
goes; unless he be prompted by the
maker. But even the maker will be ut q
loss between two pipes, the history of
whose making he has forgotten. We
might go back still farther, and ascribe
the only trustworthy knowledge to the
Natolian miner, who digs the cIay out of
the earth. Meerschaum is like woman's
heart-as soft, as light, as brittle, and as
enigmatic; and only time and use can
prove it true!
Pipes ore bought chiefly by foreigners.
Germans use meerschaum in the form of
cigar-holders-''spitzen" they call them.
Spitzen are economical, but not other
wise desirable; they enable US to smoke
our Cigar to the bitter end, but they are
an unnecessary and troublesome incum-
brance. Nevertheless, they are popu-
lar, Tor they color more evenly and far
ther toward the mouth than pipes do,
and they are more striking in appear
ance. But L scarcely think they insinu-
ate themselves far into their owners
secret affections. A man of sentiment
may have vanity enough to wear one in
public, but in private he will not be
bothered with it. Coarse, hard men,
devoid of sentiment, and Of the fine
quality which can appreciate tho quiet
charms of q pipe are precisely fitted to
enjoy the ostentation of Spite
Tobacco plays so important a role in a
Saxon's ife-so' perfumes the air and i'm
pregnates the lungs-that we are insen-
sibly led to, discuss it at some length.
Probably there are not ten righteous
men in Dresden who do not smoke or
snuff.chewing, luckily, is unknown,
though believe the practice originated
herenbouts. I have often met 100 men
in succession, no one without his cigar.
Cigar-smoking, it should be observed, is
not IN expensive habit in Dresden: it
may be indulged to excess for not more
than 81 year. Half AS much will pro-
vide three not intolerable cigars daily.
Moreover, it is to be borne in mind that
no true-born Saxon ever throws awny q
cigar or any part of one. He consumes
1t in installments, and his pockets and
cupboard are full Of pestilent remnants
from half an inch to threc-inches long.
A learned professor whom I visited oc-
casionaliy, passed his life ut study
desk, every loop-hole and GRANNY of
which harbored cigar-stumps of various
ages and sizes. My first supposition was
IN eccentric recluse, whose whim it was
to rake together this kind of unsayory
relics. But presently saw him select
the most ancient, stalest stump from it's
hiding-place in the most cobwebbed
Granny, and kindle it into activity with
sulphur match. He preferred such re-
suscitated corpses-an old tobacco-vul-
ture, with n morbid craving for carton!
This same people smoke Russian
cigarettes-the most ETHEREAL guise under
which tobacco presents itself. The
variety used is Turkish, and is the
purest and finest in the world, but so