The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-02-13
AN HISTORICAL CIGAR.
sos~rsA's Account sI tse rH,sous ~CE
xAr Eartdeai.'T

xar lartdent."
Americas Register.
6ne OF Sismsrck's happiest touches il
the story Of the fSmou, cigar incident"
of the defurct German Bund, which was
additionally ruled by the representative
Of the defune4 Kaiser. The Austrian
presiding MEMBER ruled the rest of the
German ambassadors in a very off>hand
fashion. At the military commissisn
sittings. for instance, the Austrian pre-
siding WAS accustomed to smoke a cigar.
whi1e the ether representatives we're too
much overawed to attempt following his
example. But Bismarck when he was
sent down to Frankfort, soon began to
ieel the absurd position in which Prussia
was placed. His method OF asserting his
independence is amusingty characteristic
of the prince
A PrpSsisn member Of the diet, I
Fcalled uren Count Thun, the Austrian,
and presiding member of our august
assembly. When I entered he was ia
his study, working and smoking. He
begged me 30 wait mome2t. 1 d,d
wait, but when thought the interview
was rather too long delayed, and, more
over, had not even a cigar offered me,
took one from TIE box before him and
requested hira 60 give me a light. He
looked dumbfounded, but communicated
the desired spnk. But there Is another
story Of the same sort. In the days Of
RochO7, my predecessor as Pru-siau
member of the diet, the Austrian presid-
ing member he'd adopted the hsbi5 Of
smoking at the sittings Of the military
special commission. Rochow, passion
ately fond of smoking, would have giving
his little finger to do the like, but did
not dare bow, wheE l csme TO Frank
fort, | longed tor my cigar at military-
commission sittiugs, and seeing no reason
why [ shoullHot have it, politely asked
the presiding power to give me a light.
This demand WIS received with univer.
sal astonishment and disgust. 1t evil
IDENTIFY was an event in the eyes of all
present. However, l got the light, and
Austria and Prussia smoked. The other
members present thought the incident
momeTtous eEGggh TO report To their
respective courts. But she question was
too grave to be decided in hurry, 50 for
six months running no one smoked but
Austria and Prussia. After the expiry
Of that period the Bsvarian envoy took
to asserting the dignity Ct his sovereign
by lighting his arsE ciga1 in assembled
ccnclave. We ali noticed that Herr Won
Nostitz, the Saxon representative, envied
the Bavarian SchreDckk his delicious
weed. But his court had not authorized
the deed, so he had to ABSTAIN. When,
however. at the next sitting, we wit
messed the Hsno-er man, BOthmeT, in
dulging in tobacco, We knew that
special understanding had been entered
into between &Seiph sad Hapsburg.
Bothmer was yery,Austr;sn in bis senti-
meuts, and had couple Of sons in the
Austrian army. Upon. this Ssxony
would not be left behind, and boldly
kindled the sudsoious spark. Now there
were only two members leit who did not
make chimneys of their Mouths--Wur-
temberg and CGEmstsdt- These unfor-
Inmates not being. addicted to the vice
could not join in but the honor and
independence Of their states imperatively
required a sacrifice. accordingly, the
next time we met the Wartemberg gen.
tleman took out cigar see it before
me now, long. thin, strsw-like con-
trefacon-and smoked Il half as a holo-
caust made .o,Fstherisnd.'
Prince Bismarck's innovation was the
commencement OF tbs struggle for supre-
macy between Austria and Prussia,
When he lighted bis. fVst sscrilegious
Havana iR.the federal eommittee-roors
he gave the first blow TO Austrian die
nifty and supremacy. IN Germany. tbs
last blow was given at Ssdowa. In this
delightful snecdots, as Mr.. Kingst IN
remarks, Bismarck hits off with a
mastery touch tha ridiculous jealorsies
that animated the petty German kinglets
and p-incekin9~ of twenty years ago.
Who can refuse his. sympathy tc, the
worthy Susbian. heroiaslly making him.
self SEX pro pa:'ia, and penetrated by
the conviction thai he was deserving
well of his country by Drawing al tt e
horrors of nausea, lest proud Prussia or
arrcgsnt Austria should boast that Wur-
ten2berg hal not dared to put itself on
smoking equality with the great Ger
man powers."