THE TOBACCO B ORATION. 243 



tion itself. The last bright leaf was burning in my pipe, 

 when there came a package by express, all the way from 

 Chicago. I directed it to be left on the porch, quietly de- 

 liberating on what it could contain, determined however, 

 that my curiosity should be unsatisfied till I had drawn 

 the last perfumed breath from the fascinating bowl. I 

 looked at the package with some misgivings, thinking that 

 when opened it would disclose some great sell of Capt. 

 K t or Charlie C k, who are much given to the perpe- 

 tration of practical jokes and hoaxes. Both of them would 

 go without sleeping or eating for forty-eight hours, if by 

 that means they could raise a good laugh at the expense 

 of their friends ; and, to catch each other, would even go 

 without drinking for the same period. I looked at the 

 box, and felt convinced it was a hoax; but mustering reso- 

 lution to know the worst, I got a hatchet, and brought to 

 view such an array of cans and boxes, that I was fairly 

 dazzled. There were half-a-dozen bright canisters marked 

 "Banner," the same number of varnished wood ones, filled 

 with the finest smoking tobacco, almost equaling that so 

 fondly remembered. Boxes I hardly know how many of 

 Regalias, Punches, Principes, &c., and at the very bottom, 

 a card: "From P , No. 48 Dearborn St., Chicago, Illi- 

 nois." The present being unexpected, and coming so op- 

 portunely, made it doubly acceptable ; and though aware 



that friend P is an enthusiastic admirer of the horse, 



was unprepared for this liberal demonstration to one who 

 had no claims upon his generosity. I opened one of the 

 boxes of Principes, and they brought back the sunny days 

 of my youth so vividly .that I have continued to smoke 

 them ever since, and can only say that no other cigars 

 would have seduced me from my vows of fidelity to the 

 pipe. When I saw the card, I needed no other guarantee 

 of their quality, as I know only the very best ever came 

 out of P 's store. 



