The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-09
sHERlDAN's JOKE ON GRANT.
lie Gave His Superior II Cigar Which
blade Him Sick.


lie Gave His superior Cigar Which
Made Him Sick.
From the New York sun.
They had done" Florida-that is. as
much of the peninsular state as people
generally managed to see II years ago.
and the party. composed Of General
Grant. General Sheridan, their wives.
two nieces of Mrs. Grant, the secretary.
Byron Andrews, and solitary artist,
had just voyaged down the gulf coast.
stopping fer an evenings send off"
and q very lively time 1t 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 at night. The Gu
ban colony of cigarmaxers at Key West
had stored their state rooms 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 famous soldiers
1t would have been a breach of ETH
quette to keep a check upon ones
smoking under such tempting condi-
tions. SO the American visitors pulled
away at countless Incompatible cigars
While the gayly clad officers of the pal
ace household rolled their cigarettes
and wondered how long the famous
smoker could Keep ii up,
Presently there came a day when the
programme included visit to the lofty
fortress of Cabanas, over the bay. The
heavy state barges roWed the brilliant
little party across the breezelesS har-
Dor, and OH it was hot. They climbed
the zig-zag 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 bar
racks and prisons, which fill the whole
vast interior of this great, gloomy, ter
rible place. General Pocurul, then COM
mandant of Cabanas, paraded the
troops with fine fanfare from a bugle
squad, and then lunch was served at
headquarters, high up on the battle
mentS, commanding Il grand view Of
the city and Village-dotted country
which in those days presented a pros
porous and beautiful appearance Gen
eral Grant saw everything and smoked
on faithfully. He noted that of the
hundreds of cannon planted everywhere
from the water batteries beneath the
palms far below, up along the precipi-
tous slopes to the crest of the walls of
Cabanas, nearly all We're of antique
model and inferior caliber practically
useless in modern demonstrate but
over upon Morro's walls, half a mile
away, as they We're told, there We're
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 SO over to
MORO, trayersing covered ways and long
open spaces in the monday heat. All
might have gone well, however but un-
happily, Grant ran out of cigars. He
searched despairingly through his sun
dry pockets, but, alas! all in vain. Then
came Sheridan's opportunity, the chance
he had been waiting for, after a long
ana varied experience of Grants
marked fondness for telling army yarns
at his expense. He had a cigar 1t was
not particularly large or obtrusiye, just
regular Al Havana, but oh, it was
black and rich and wicked looking
Sheridan had been shown through a
tobacco factory the previous day.
While he waited this cigar was made
for him. and he carefully put it away
and smiled contented little smile.
So General Grant, with a deep. happy
sigh Of relief, touched a match to Cen
eral Sheridan's cigar, and Sheridan--he
Jagged and gyrated like a bad little boy
who has put tach on his teachers
chair 1t took a little time for the
strongest cigar eyer made in Cuba To
get in it's deadly work upon q well-sea-
soned old smoker like Grant, and Sheri-
dan began to grow respondent. but joy
once more sufused his rugged but ru-
bicund features as he saw his old COM
mander, with pallid face, talking
hurfiedly with the interpreter. Il funny
mixture of English and West Point
Spanish, and a moment later he col
lapsed in the shade Of a wall. There
was instant alarm among all who gath
cred around, and even the jolly Sheri-
dan got a bit ratified al his own success,
but he only winked solemnly at the sec
Rotary and said Tell EN- to keep quiet
and give him air. He'll be all right in
five minutes. ! thought il would fetch
him..
Grant was all right. indeed as soon
as he got up among the tumble of de-
fgnses at the top IF Morro castle, where
the cool sea winds blew some of the
out Of ms lungs. and he gazed
at Sheridan with i deep indigo look Of
suspicion. but he smoked no more until
the next morning