Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1879-09-19
GRANT AND MS CIGAR.
A Soldier Tells How Petite the
Great General Could Ne.
Buffalo Express.

DuVusc 6<Pfes.
Very many stories illustrative OF Gen.
Grants great fondness for his cigar have
been narrated. but the following. which
came under the personal observation Of
the narrator-an ~ex-Captain Of the reRu.
lar army-who was at the time n Of q
party accompanying the General. has
never appeared in print:
Soon after General Grant had for
tunately assigned himself to the com.
mand Of the Army OF the Potomac. /
had occasion to visit the Capital on rsgi'
mental business Of some little import
ance. My srrand having been accom-.
plished, I hastsned to the place from
which the train started for our camp
near the Rsppahannock river. There
was Q large crowd Of soldiers there. and
every car. with one exception. was not
only full. but crowded to o~verhowing.
Among the sureing mss still outside,
and struggling to get in. I noticed avery
swarthy and dissgresabls-looking Viz
ginia lady. giving unmistakabls evidence
OF her determination TO 60 home on that
train. She tried to get on to one plat
form and then another. In vain. Indeed,
her look, manner and dress were not
such as to win consideration for her In
any crowd. The train was to start In q
minute. and the prospect that she. my.
self and q few others were to be left be-
hind was becoming painfully brilliant.
Just then . staff officer came out OF the
hitherto unassailsd car. and. standing
on the platform, said to the woman and
about twenty anxious officers: This Is
Q special car for Gen. Grant, but you
are invited by him to come In and be
seated" stepped upon the platform.
quickly followed by the woman. Grant
was inside. smoking. a. was his wont.
As we entered the car he turned toward
rs, and. as II seemed to me, showed .
little surprise. IL not annoyance. at the
ismals intrusion. In truth 1t vas rather
Q novel sight to see one OF the gentle
ser on one OF those military trains run.
ming from Washington In the direction
Of Richmond. Without q moment's de-
lay, however, Grant raised the window
at his right and flung away his excellent
cigar. sacrificing two.thirds OF 1t on the
altar OF politeness.
Remember that this was his special
car. that smoking in those days was al
lowed on that and every other military
road, that Grant was then practically
'.monarch Of all be surveyed" and had
right royal liking for o good cigar. Yet
In this instance the gentleman immedi-
ately breaks out in the conqusror. Our
friend, as I may 10 call her. took q
seat neal the front door. and the Gen.
eral was seated in about the middle OF
the car, both "faced to the rear" The
way.places were exceedingly numerous,
and as the train hauled up to each. the
General was noticed swinging himself
around firmly but cautiously in his seat.
to see II the woman had gone out. But
no; there she was every time. II was
bard on the General and hard on US.
Our pockets were as full Of Hsvanas n
his, and where is the smoker who does
not appreciate q Spanish blast OF onso.
lation amid the jars and dangers OF q
trip by rail? The Generals politsness
was ipexorable; ours was forced BY his
good example. At last the agony came
to an end. The fifth station was reached,
and as Grant turned again. the woman
went out. He had o match In n hand
and . fresh cigar in the other. The
slam Of the door and the crsckls Of his
luciier we're simultaneous, n q compile
ment Of the other. and both IN invita-
ton to join him in whifing-sach his
own cigar.