Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-12-16
sHERIDAN,s JOKE.
The Only Time That Gen. Gram
Found a Cigar Too Strong
for Him.

1hey had done tlOrlQa-t1aI Is, as
much of othe Peninsular state as peo-
pie generally managed to see IL years
ago, and the party, composed of Gen.
Grant, Gen. Sheridan, their wives, two
nieces of Mrs. Grant. the secretary. MIR.
Byron Andrews. and solitary artist,
had just voyaged down the gulf coast,
stopping for an evenings 'send-off, +"
and a 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 IA
nous 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 check upon ones smok-
ing under such tempting conditions.
So the American visitors pulled away
at countless Incompatible cigars while
the gayly-clad officers of the palace
rolled their cigarettes and wondered
how long the famous smoker could
keep it 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
thu zigzag path which leads up TO the
portal cut into the grim front of the
great military prison. which was. even
then, nearly filed with prisoners of
state. They were shown9 through
courts. deep, dark passageways, pa
rades, 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 n fine fanfare from a
bugle squad, and then lunch was served
at headquarters, high up on the battle
ments, commanding 4 grand view of
the city and village-dotted country,
which in those days presented a pros
porous and beautiful appearance. Gen.
Grant saw everything and smoked on
faithfully. He noted that of the hun
dreds of cannon planted everywhere
from the water batteries beneath the
palms far below. up along the precip-
itous slopes to the crest of the walls
of Cabanas, nearly all were of antique
model and inferior caliber, practically
useless in modern demonstration. but
over upon Morro'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 60 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 despairingly through his sun
dry pockets, but, alasi in vain. Then
came Sheridan's opportunity, the
chance he had been waiting for after a
long and varied experience of Grants
marked fondness for telling army yarns
at his expense. He had cigar. 1t was
not particularly large or obtrusive. just
a regular a 1 Havana. but, oh! it was
black ana rich and wicked-looking.
Sheridan had been shown through to-