Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 June 1880 — Almost a Defeat. [ARTICLE]

Almost a Defeat.

A gentleman w r ho came over the Cumberland Valley railroad, a few years ago, on a train that had a special car with Grant, the then President, on board,, tells an anecdote. There was no smok-ing-car attached, and the? gentleman, stood on a platform desperately smoking' a cigar he had bought at a way station. He noticed the President occasionally looking that way, and finally a railroad, official came out and said the General had run out of cigars—that he had been envying the man on the platform for some time, and had at last begged him to go 'out and see if he had any more ci- ■ gars. Now, the gentleman was only too ’ happy—first, to accommodate the Prosi-* dent of the United States/ and, second, to get rid of one of the worst cigars he 1 ever smoked. With this warning he sent in his remaining weed. * The General acknowledged the courtesy by removing; his hat, and bit the end off of the cigar, lighted it and looked happy. ,■ Ho had i taken but one or two puffs, however, when he began to look queer. The man on the platform watched him with renewed interest. He saw him remove the cigar and gaze thoughtfully nt one end, then the other. Then <he . put it back and took another pull. Then he removed it again, turned it in his hand and looked it carefully over again. Then he smelled it. Their lie coughed gently and looked at the man on the platform, who was gazing innocently across the fields. Then he looked out of the car window, as if to see where he might throw it without injuring anybody. He changed his mind, though, sighed, took a desperate grip on the stogy with his teeth, and, when last seen by the giver, was still pulling away.