The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-09
sAEelpAN,s JOKE ON GRANT.
The Only Time the Great General Found
Cigar Too Strong for Him.

They had "done'' Florida, that is, as
much of the Peninsular State as people
generally managed to see seventeen years
ago, and the party. composed OF zen.
Grant, Gen. Sheridan, their wives, two
nieces of Mrs. Grant, the secretary, Mr.
Byron Andrews, and solitary artist, had
just voyaged down the Gulf coast, stop
ping for an evening S "send off, and
very lively time it was, at Key West, and
now they were domiciled in Havana.
Grants perpetual cigar was pillar of
cloud early in the morning and twinkle
OF fire late at night. The Cuban colony
Of cigarmakers at Key West had slowed
their staterooms full of their choicest
goods, while the famous manufacturers
OF Havana had all brought out special
brands. sending sample hundreds to the
palace for the approval of the two ia
nous soldiers. 1t would have been
breach of etiquette to keep check upon
ones smoking under such tempting con-
ditions. So the American visitors pulled
away at countless Incompatible cigars,
"AAAO uitD 6tAy4J OAaS O1AoOIp VI ohO Pt@AueSS
household rolled their cigarettes and
wondered how long the famous smokers
could keep it up.
Presently there came day when the
programme included visit to the lofty
fortress of Cabanas over the bay. The
heavy state barges rowed the brilliant lit
tie party across the breezeless harbor
and oh ! it was hot. They climbed the
zigzag path which leads up to the portal
cut into the grim front of the great mill
tary prison, which was, even then, nearly
filled with prisoners of state. They were
shown through courts, deep, dark pas
sageways, parades, barracks and PRISONS
which I'LL the whole vast interior OF, this
great, gloomy, terrible place. Gen. Po-
ourul, then commanant of Cabanas, pa
raded the troops with fine fanfare from
q bugle squad, and then lunch was served
at headquarters, high upon the tattle-
ments, commanding grand view OF the
city and vilage-dotted country which. in
those days, presented prosperous and
beautiful appearance. Gen. Grant saw
everything and smoked on faithfully. He
noted that of the hundreds Of cannon
planted everywhere, from the water bat
terles beneath the palms below, up
along the precipitous slopes to the crest
OF the walls of Cababas, nearly all We're
of antique model and inferior calibre,
practically useless in a modern demon
stration, but over upon Morro's walls,
half mile away, as they were told,
there were rows of big new guns, espec-
tally just to the right or eastward of the
castle. And so having shown an inter-
est 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 we'll, however, but
rnhpfIoi1v Ara ,t t1t ~ oil He
searched despairingly through his sundry
pockets, but, alas all in vain Then
came Sheridan's opportunity, tie chance
he had been waiting for after long and
varied experience of Grants marked
fon ness for telling army yarns at his
expense. He had a cigar. 1t was not
particularly large or obtrusive, just q
regular AL Havana, but oh it was black
and rich and wicked looking. Sheri-
dan had been shown through tobacco
factory the previous day. While he wait
ed this cigar was made for him, and he
put it away carefully ana smiled a con-
tented little smile.
So Gen. Grant, with a deep, happy
sigh of relief, touched a match to Gen.
Sheridan's cigar, and Sheridan-he
Jagged and gyrated like bad little boy
who has put tack on his teacher chair.
1t took @ little time for the strongest
cigar ever made in Cuba to get in its
deadly work upon well seasoned old
smoker like Grant, and Sheridan began
to grow dependent, but Joy once more
suffused his rugged yet rubicund features
as he saw his old commander, with PAL
lid face, talking hurriedly with the inter
prefer, funny mixture of English and
West Point Spanish, and moment later
he collapsed in the shade of wall. There
WAS instant alarm among all who
gathered around. and even the jolly Sher-
idan got bit ratified at his own success,
but he only winked solemnly at the Sec
rotary and SAID: ''Tell 'em to keep quiet
and give him air. He'll be all right in
i've minutes. 1 thought it would fetch
him.
Grant was indeed all right as soon as he
got up among the tumble of defences at
the top of Moro Castle, where the cool
sec winds blew some of that nicotine out
of his lungs, and he gazed at Sheridan
with deep indigo look OF suspicion. but
he smoked no more until the next morn