, 1886-02-25
CIGARS THAT SPUTTER.
METHODS OF MANUFACTURE WHICH
LESSEN THE DANGER.
Serious Accidents which Have Been Fol-
lowed by Prosecution OF the Practical
Joker-An Abandoned Form of Diver
sion-A Costly Piece Of Fun.

w 'aHRAHf ao AhhAthao "
mirth-proyoking torture, are ike TO come
into more general use among practical
Jokers on account Of n new method OF
manufacture which lessons the danger OF
the explosions. A small cartridge of pow
der, Inserted In the middle of n cigar, was
able to furnish a large amount of hilarity,
but it was likely to damage the eyesight
of the unsuspecting smoker who had been
selected as n victim by the jokers. Serious
accidents, followed by suits for damages,
made the old style "loadedn cigar unpopu-
lar. When n man who has been known
to indulge in fun at the expense Of his
friends offered n cigar OF the finest brand
to an acquaintance he was obliged to an
swer such questions ms "will it go off, or
(which way shall | point itt" A man with
the reputation as a Joker could keep "A box
of cigars open in his office with safety.
His friends would be sure TO think that
articles left exposed in such n tempting
way were dangerous to fool with.
Recently some manufacturer has
adopted a method Of loading cigars Of a
certain brand with a chemical cartridge
which takes fire soon after the weed Is
lighted. There Is no sudden explosion
fragments of burning tobacco in all direc-
tons, but from the end of the cigar u
stream Of fire shoots out to n distance OF
about three feet In n direct line. II makes
n man look for n few seconds as II he were
a gas-tank and held n piece of broken gas
pipe In his mouth. The man is in no dan
ger so long as he keeps still and lets the
cigar sputter away. To hold the weed
firmly in the teeth at such n moment Is a
better test Of a mans nerve than to hang
on to the end Of n burning Roman candle.
The chief danger to be feared is that some
man may drop n cigar and start n confla-
grafton IL he attempts 10 smoke indoors.
AN U~NExPEcTED ACCIDENT.
In one department OF the city govern
ment the clerks have found much amnse-
ment lately in dealing out cigars Of the
new brand and waiting for the display of
pyrotechnics. They suddenly abandoned
that form Of diversion n few days ago, on
account OF an unexpected accident. One
Of the clerks had presented n cigar to an
official, but IL had been consigned to the
officials pocket until more convenient
time for smoking. That time came when
the official got on the front platform Of a
street car and borrowed a light from a
stout German. Two heads were close to-
geiher, and the official was sucking tho
fire from the end Of the Germans half
burned weed, when there was n fizz like
hat which attends the flight of n sky
rocket. A stream OF fire played directly
into the Germans face, scorching his
cheek and obliterating one large, red side
whisker in an instant. The German
jumped of the car with a howl of an
guish. He was followed by the aston
ished official who began to make an
apology.
"You make one pig joke" screamed the
German, but | hat you arrested"
The official was obliged TO show his
shield and give the name of the clerk who
furnished the obnoxious cigar before the
German would believe his explanation.
A day or two later the clerk received n
letter from the Germans lawyer stating
that a suit for damages had been author
lied. Fearing that his position in the de-
partment would be forfeited II the facts
came to the notice OF n commissioner, the
clerk made haste TO settle. The sum OF
money which was needed as n salve to the
Germans outraged feelings made a big
hole in the clerks monthly pay. Warned
by his experience, the other clerks hayc
since been experimenting with cigars
"loaded" only with the teeth extracted
from rubber combs. New York Tribune.