New-York tribune., 1902-05-11


But how about the box trade?'' the customer
asked. Don't men smoke enough indoors in the
winter to balance the outdoor smoking OF sum
mer?'
Il don't think so. Just before Christmas OF
course did a big box trade-some $500 day.
But for the remainder of the year our box sales
run pretty even I should say people smoke
more when they can be comfortable out OF doors
than when they shut up inside"
Gimme good 1O cent straight" said a new
conner
Clear Havana or dOmestic?'' the clerk asked.
oh. Havana, Of course" said the newcomer
who was short. fat and wheezy. When he had
gone out leaving a trail of smoke behind like a
blunt nosed tugboat the clerk remarked:
It's a funny thing that many smokers
cannot tell the difference between a clear Ha-
vana. seed Havana or a domestic make be-
lieve- That couldn't for instance: you can
tell by the way he puned at his weed. not stop
ping 10 taste it at all l must admit that Bos-
ton smokers are better judges of good tobacco.
as a rule. than New Workers."
They have more time" said the customer
They're more fnicky, any rate. There's
certain amount of Christian Science about
smoking with lots Of people"
You mean. of course, in Boston?"
mo, l mean everywhere. For instance a
customer Of mine. a literary man. who is a queer
cents brought me in some cigars the other day
and asked me To tell him what sort of tobacco
they were made Of He said he had got them
cheap from a Cuban, who told him they were
clear HaVdnaS. Smuggled in l didn't like TO
tell him what they were. not because / was
afraid of being wrong hut because it's had
policy TO tell customer he's been stuck He
doesn't think much of YOU afterward But
this man urged me- l split the cigars and
found. as had expected. that the filler was
potpourri of domestic odds and ends l put the
wrappers 10 the water test. and they were not
Havana which is much more nearly water
proof 50 To speak. than other leaves l told him
what | found. and he said I don't like those
cigars Overmuch anyway, but they did very well
so long as thought they were good ones. Now
know what they are. shall not smoke any more
of them That's what mean by Christian Sci
enCe in smoking"
Yes" said the customer I've noticed that a
cigar which tastes bully after a good dinner
doesn't go so well in the morning but that IA
due more to culinary than Christian science
It's not an easy thing even for a buyer TO
pick out the best in a lot Of cigars" the clerk
continued Il remember once in Havana getting
samples from three firms of the same priced
cigar All had the delicate finished leaf texture
OF the genuine Havana, the proper 'nutty' taste
ana aroma To decide, 1 turned out the lights.
mixed up the three brands blindly. and smoked
one after another iL the dark. Those / liked
stuck toOthptck into. and in those / liked best
broke the toothpicks Off When I turned the
lights up the broken tOOthpicks were all in
brand l bought that brand"
They say people think best and listen to
music most appreciatively in the dark"
marked the customer.
isn't good as Havana he continued
The soil l suppose Tobacco eats up the
nourishment fast. and needs a very rich soil
that recuperates easily. Manila tobacco, next
To Havana, is about the best-if YOU get good
Manila; but none of them have the finish OF
the Havana. nor its bouquet. They are all a
little peppery To the nose.
And that reminds me. Did you notice
that women are about the best judges of a good
cigar. women who don't smoke. / mean9 They
can tell a good cigar ny the smell quicker
than most men by the taste. My wife can. any
way.
You got Il Sood deal of Mexican tobacco IN
your clear Havanas' during the Spanish war;
the clerk went on. and you doubtless get a good
deal now I know of houses that shipped thou
sands of disguised bales of il to their factories
in Key West three years ago. and had il made
into clear Havanas There are tricks in every
trade and plenty of people that can't detect
them
y messenger hoy dropped in Just then and
bought cigarettes. How do cigarettes run9''
asked the customer.
The same all the year round
Yes said the customer lighting his own
favortte brand of cigar and turning up his
collar. they are good Kenneth Graham
says. to have around. to smoke while filing your
ID ne