Wednesday, July 16, 2008

High Priced Cigars

1895

The Rothschilds of London are said to smoke the most costly brand of cigars made — the "Grandos de Cuba," made at Havana. They are sent to the millionaire bankers wrapped in gold leaf and packed in inlaid rosewood cabinets. Each cabinet contains 11,000 cigars, and they are ordered in lots of four cabinets, or 44,000 at a time. Each consignment costs the millionaire princes $66,000, or at the rate of $1.50 for each cigar.

The 20,000 Havanas made for Marshal Prim, who presented them to Napoleon III, cost 30,000 francs and were at that time considered the height of extravagant smoking. Each was tipped at both ends with gold leaf and marked in the center with an imperial "N." out from the same material. — St. Louis Republic.


The Boy Knew His Business

A gentleman on the cars was recently offered a novel by Honore de Balzac. "New novel, sir," cried the trainboy. "This is just out. It's by the last new writer of Paris."
The gentleman glanced at the title page. "Did you say that was a new novel?" asked the traveler.
"Yes, sir; just out."
"The man who wrote it has been dead for years."
But the boy was equal to the occasion.
"Pshaw!" said he, "this isn't the old man — it's his son." — Cincinnati Tribune.


An Outrage

"What's the judge going to do now?" asked the green juror in a whisper.
"He's going to charge the jury," said the foreman.
"Charge the jury? Charge us? What for? we don't have to pay nothing for the privilege of sitting on a jury, do we?" — London Tit-Bits.

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