The age-herald., 1897-12-28

heavy state barges rowed the brilliant little party across the breeZeless harbor and oh it was hot. They climbed the zig gag path which leads up to the portal cut into the grim front of the great military prison, which was, even then, nearly filled with prisoners of state. They were shown through courts, deep, dark passageways parades, barracks and prisons, which fill the whole vast interior of this great gloomy terrible place. Gen. Pocurul then commandant of Cabanas, paraded the troops with a fine fanfare from a bugie squad, and then lunch was served at head quarters, high up the battlements, com manding a grand view of the city and will lage-dotted country, which in those days presented a prosperous and beautiful ap- pearance Gen Grant saw everything and smoked on faithfully. He noted that of the hundreds of cannon planted every where, from the water batteries beneath the palms far below, up along the precipit- ous slopes to the crest of the walls of Cab anas, nearly all were of antique model and inferior calibre, practically useless in mod ern demonstration, but over upon Morros s walls, half a mile away as they were told there were rows of big new guns, especially just to the right or eastward of the castle. And so having shown an interest in the matter, the party must go over to Moro, traversing covered ways and long open spaces in the monday heat All might have gone well, however, but, unhappily, Grant ran out of cigars He searched de- spairingly through his sundry pockets, but, alasi all in vain. Then came Sheridan s opportunity, the chance he had been waiting for, after a long and varied expe- rience of Grants marked fondness for tell ing army yarns at his expense. He had cigar. It was not particularly large or obstrusiVe just a regular Al Havana, but oh! it was black and rich and wicked look ing. Sheridan had been shown through a tobacco factory the previous day. While he waited this cigar was made for him, and he carefully put 1t away and smiled a contented little smile.
 So Gen. Grant, with a deep, happy sigh of relief, touched a match to Gen. Sheri- dans, and Sheridan-he Jagged and gyrated like a bad little boy who has put a tack on his teachers chair. It took little time for the strongest cigar ever made in Cuba to get in it's deadly work upon a wel-seasoneG old smoker like Grant, and Sheridan began to grow Respondent, but joy once more suffused his rugged but rubi- cund features as he saw his old comman- der, with a pallid face, talking hurriedly with the interpreter, funny mixture of English and West Point Spanish, and a moment later he collapsed in the shade of q wall. There was instant alarm among all who gathered around, and even the jolly Sheridan got a bit rattled at his own success but he only winked solemnly at the secretary and said: "Tel 'em to keep quiet and give him air. He'll be all right in five minutes. thought it would fetch him"
 Grant was all right, indeed, as soon as he got up among the tumble of defenses at the top of Moro castle, where the cool winds blew some of that nicotine out of his lungs, and he gazed at Sheridan with a deep indigo look of suspicion, but he smoked no more until the next morn ing.