Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-09
A CHAT ABOUT CIGAR SMOKERS.
Tell Mo What You Smoke and III Tell You
What You Are.

AeA mo "hat You smoke and III Tell You
What You Are.
From the New York Recorder
Do you smoke? II you do, why not, at
leisure, have little chat about cigars, cigar
cites and smokers. But do not advise you to
praise the brand you are just now smoking. L:
is too dark, it smells Of yesterdays damp at
mosphere, its ashes are black as q traitor 8
soul. Tho treasures of Havana, formerly the
exclusive enjoyment of the opulen. classes,
are now within the reach Of almost any one,
and when crops are short in Cuba, Mexico,
Virginia and the Carolinas supply the de-
iciency.
There are cigars OF many different titles.
most OF them highly sounding, like the Span
ish hidalgos by whom they were named There
are Cayados, Prensados, Trabucos, Londres,
Regueros, Princessss Caballeros, Crevas, pin
cipes do GALES, Flor Finos, Esparteros. Ccmer-
ciantes. Cazadores Medias, Regalias, Simples,
ltegalias de la Reina, Jenny Lind, Adelina Patti,
Divina Sarah, Imperiaies, Imperadores, Con-
chas, Bolivar, Libertadores, Conquistadores,
&c.
1t is for the "connoisseurs'' to exercise their
preferences and to contend for the very best.
There are degrees in tobacco, as in wine. and the
Havana brand has its pedigree, as have Chateau
Yquem and Chambertin.
lie Figaro or the Henry Clay" has each
Its peculiar aroma. In the kingdom of tobacco,
as In the empire Of love, among cigars, as among
women, there is always the eternal and inevita-
bic rivalry between the blonde and the brn-
net, the dark and the light, the strong and the
mild, but in the smoking world, as elsewhere,
II the brunettes are generally strong the blcndes
are not always mild.
A true smoker must never select a moist
cigar, but at the same time he must not take a
Au fhA Iat.v -: i
I'm medic tutisstmuS ibis"
The supreme felicity of the smoker depends
also In great measure upon the manner in
which he lights his cigar. To verify its pecu-
liar aroma one has first to draw the smoke
through the nose. To recognize a regular
smoker Is an easy task-his lips always betray
him. The man who reaolutely puts his cigar
deeply in his mouth is a firm, decided man of
action, quick In movement, perhaps brusque,
but generally good hearted. The youngster
who cuts the end of the cigar with the teeth is
rather insouciant careless of future dental
sufferings. The bald-leaded young man who
calls for penknife to cut the end of the cigar
Is a man Judiclous in council, methodical in
his ways and well balanced.
The one who places his cigar in an amber
holder is recherche in his tastes and stylish in
his habits. The man who holds it with silver
clasp is a dude. The man fond of light-shaded
cigars Is fond OF the ballet, light performances
Ofenbach music comic opera and shepherd
eSses In water colors. He Is also probably fond
of fishing and boating, Is generally romantic
| and Is considered as passionate Walter. The
one who prefers dark-shaded cigars may be
supposed daring and fortunate gambler, an
audacious and successful lover, rather fond of
Leopold Robert and Regnaut's vivid pictures
and verdi's music; he is partial to racing and
wild hunting.
The man who buys his cigars without ex-
animation and only because they are tied in
packages with ribbons perfumed by the Cuban
peddler's wife is of confiding disposition, pre-
sumabiy an obedient husband and a credufous
stakeholder. The one who smokes his cigar
almost to the end is by all means a persevering
character, a faithful friend and constant
lover; the one who throws i: away when only
half smoked Is blase. The man who allows 1t
to extinguish itself often and lights it again is
absent-minded, thoughtful, but indulgent, a
good fellow, inclined to tolerance, taking men
for what they are, women for what they are
not; taking times as they come, he lets the
stream of life flow gently by
The 'connoisseur" must be yery careful
when cigars show little yellow spots If spots
appear in consequence of unequal drying the
cigar is horrid. Ii made by small worms the
brand is generally exquisite, as worms prefer to
attack the best flowers, the best fruits, the best
leaves.
In any case the cigar is not the true smokers
best enjoyment; it is q kind of compromise
between the cigarettes Of the ''coquette" and
the short pipe of the cynical philosopher