The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-07-28
HOW HE SAVED MONEY.
Being the Story of tho smoker, the Tobac-
conist and the Pretty Cigar Holder.

conist and the Pretty Cigar Holder.
Gas near as can calculate, remarked
Major Shortcut, veteran smoker, as he
lighted big, black cigar and settled
himself back in an easy chair, II have
lust escaped an error that would have
resulted in an increase of about $500 Il
year in my personal expenses. 1t was
this way: This NORMA; dropped in to
order few hundred fresh cigars from
the dealer who had been n ing me
with this same brand for Ave years, Aft
Or booking my order the aniiable TOT =
,conist brought from his desk and handeC
TO me a,neat little leather case, remark-
ing that he wanted to present me with a
little gift. Upon opening it | found that
| 1t contained a beautiful meerschaum
cigar Lold,r. My first impulse was to
express the admiration which l actually
felt and to thank him for his great kind
ness. The next instant, however, l had
regained control of myself and was safe.
Handing the case back to the dealer, |
told him how much | appreciated his
generosity and how beautiful the gift
was, but that he must really excuse me
for declining it. told him in confidence
| that was possessed of strange, unrea-
soning superstition of all articles made
of meerschaum; that they had always
seemed to bring me bad luck and bust
ness disaster, and that begged him not
| to think me churlish in refusing taaac-
cept this one.
HE took my story good naturally,
| laughed at my superstitions, and came
away fully confident that had not an
gered or wounded him. was particu-
larly anxious to avoid hurting his feel
ings; hence my plain and fancy lying.
"The plain truth is that declined his
gift because the acceptance of it would
have been so expensive. Give man a
handsome pipe or cigar holder of meer-
schaum, and he Immediately sets out to
color it, His smoking increases enor-
lnously, and his outlay for tobacco OF
cigars moves in the same direction. He
can't help it. The idea in his head is
that this particular pipe or cigar holder
is somewhat the finest thing of the kind
ever made and that it is his duty to
color it up to the artistic hue. In the
average case the smoker will consume
twice as much tobacco as he did before,
but in many instances the increase will be
threefold or more. The smoker may moi
notice it at first, the meerschaum habit
is SO seductive in its progress, but il
he buys his own cigars and keeps track
of his personal expenditures he will dis
cover it at the end of the month and be
amazed at it.
"If had accepted the friendly tobac'
consists pretty cigar holder, it would
have resulte1-for some time atyleast-
in Iy smoking about twice as much as
usually do, for, like other meerschaun
cranl;s, should have felt bound to colol
the thing. That would have meant al
increase of 100 Per cent in my cigar bill
which is something like S5e0a year. The
mecrschaum craze is mild type of in
sanity. / have tried it and know al
about it. The tobacconist who wants
to present you with q fancy pipe or cigal
holder mas designs on your nerves ant
your wallet. He may be the incest sor
of fellow, but doesn't the knowing sa
loonist place q dish of cayiare and an
other Of p"etzels on tho free lunch coun
ter 10 excite thirst among his patrons
And does the crafty tobdcconist scatter
meerschaum cigar holders among hi
customers merely to benefit their health?'
| Nm, No,.l, Il ~