The Forrest City times., 1891-02-27
FACTS ABOUT CIGARS.
Some Littieknovn Truths About the
 Nicotine Delectablcs.

"A good dinner without ci~ar is like a beautiful woman with one eye" says the Spaniard.
 Every one knows what cigar is and the use to which it is put, says the N. Y. Telegram No one will deny it's widespread popularity, although some question its bcnetcent effects upon the human family. Yet, while postage stamps, monograms. and cigarette pictures have all found enthusiastic col lcctors. but one man has been found to face the many difficulties attending a collection of cigars geaned from all parts of the world.
 Capt. Mike Flaherty is well known in the tobacco world and has a wide circle of acquaintances among the pilots, from whom he now and again received present of il oueer-looking cigar from some foreign land. and it was this decided him to commence his present collection, which now num- bers l50 varieties of cigars. about each one of which a quaint, interesting story might be told.
 In the first place the word cigar" is of modern date and is derived from the fact that when the Spaniards first smoked cigars they were smoked in She orchard. or .cigarral," SO called from it's being the abiding place of those soothing. sleep producing in- sects. the calm crickets. Hence "cigarro." small roll; "cigarron,h a large roll; and ultimately cigar" linked, even in name with the most soothing. dreamy sound in nature.
 The first cigars made by the Span- iards were of tobacco loosely rolled and held together by the silken lining of corn shucks, and always with a straw running through the center to be withdrawn before smoking, so as to secure good draught. These were first introduced into England in l7S7 by the son of a Spanish grandee visiting London, and from there spread through all Europe. This is the history of the birth of the cigar into civilization, but we must look considerably further back to find the first records. and then can find no origin, but only data of its being in existence.
 The cigar of the native Bornean, liv- ing in the Indian archipelago, is a black roll three inches long. tapering to either end. the outer leaf covered with a network of gray veins like a cobweb. These might be aptly called dude killers They were smoked by the old Dyaks, and the smoke inhaled to intoyeatiou, while at the weddings the bride and groom held cigars in their hands. and after their heads were knocked together three times each placed the cigar between the lips of the other and the ceremony was epded. The cigar in the collection came from Chittagong.
 When the Patagonian smokes to really enjoy himself he gives a smoking party. All assemble in hut. seating themselves in circle, with bowl of water in the center. A cigar is lighted and passed around, each one drawing into his lungs as much smoke as possi- ble and retaining it as long as he can, lying fiat on his face, with his curious cloak thrown over his head. As each expels the smoke he groans and grunts until perfect babel reigns. Then a fresh cigar is lit. and us it passes 1 around quiet comes again. After the third cigar each smoker sits quietly | for few minutes. takes drink at the bowl. and silently flies out. Religion | is supposed to form the basis of this 1 custom.