The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-02-07


We will not undertake 70 say how
many tons Of gum il takes TO keep
American jaws wagging, but IL is a
number Of thousand, according to CON-
mercial statistics. Yet even they do
not afford us an adequate idea a the
fuel that Is necessary 20 generate and
keep alive the force and motion charac-
teris,ic Of the gum-chewer. The buxom
maiden Of the backwoods and the ire
pressible boy that keeps her company
repair TO the monarchs Of the primeval
forest and search for the generous ooze
which, manipulated into unctunus cuds,
Is rolled rs sweet morsels under and
over the tongue, and indeed made init
mately acquainted with every ridge,
valley and elevation of the mouth. For
backwoods boys and girls it is not q
pastime 70 be particularly inyeighed
against. They doubtless consider il a
luxury, and Of luxuries they do not have
any too many. They get the pure ex-
udations Of the spruce or the pine tree,
and they flatter themselves that the
choicest Of bon-bons or the freshest Of
French confectionery would not be more
satisfying than the plastic pellets their
woodward rambles furnish them. While
il may not be the luxury that refines, it
brings more contentment than much
that is supposed to achieve that
desirable result. Let the juvenile
that cultivates gum-chewing as an
encouragement TO home industry chew
on. Its tendency may be to impair his
digestion, but he can overcome that by
his habits Of exercise and his proneness
10 feed on raw turnips and red-cheeked
apples in their season, and SO the de-
lights OF rumination will not be pur-
chased at too dear cost.
1t is the gum Of commerce 10 which
we oDject-that fearful compound that
suggests sweet-meats at the outset aud
is ut last resolved into hopeless, I'M
resisting, but exhaustless paste, flavor
less and fiabby, that tires the jaws but
still excites them to renewed exertion
by its slippery evasion Of each dental
pressure. The schoolgirl and the lady's
maid, when once enslaved by gum, ex-
asperate our nerves BY their tireless and
aimless mastication. They grind and
grind with such regular and ceaseless
motion that it seems as il, like the fa-
nous cork-leg Of the man of Rotterdam,
the force of inertia had become so great
that the grinding would go on even
when antagonized by the will power
We have often thought Of this, and the
recent misfortune of Kentucky girl
whose face kept the characteristic and
all-embracing contortions of gum chew
ing long after she had desired TO rest
from that pastime proves to Us that there
has always been foundation for our APP
prehensions. Nothing but chloroform
and enforced quiescence Of the whole
system would stop that terrible wagging
But when in the presence Of habitual
gum chewers we feel more i'll at ease to
see them with motionless Jaws than to
observe their works in active operation,
for in the former case we expect mo-
mentarily 10 come upon some clammy
reminder Of the practice which 20 en-
crosses them adhering 70 the top Of a
chair-post, the corner of a table or the
edge Of mantel- piece. The precious
cud will wear almost season if called
upon for such extended duty. II pros
pers BY persecution. Torture and man
gle itas one may, It is still ready to be
pasted on door-knob TO await calmer
moments. Many young men and maid
ems have worn themselves out trying to
to prove lis destructibility, but it Meth
er dissolves, nor is abraded, nor breaks,
nor runs away. d, that terrible cud
that drives from the human face its
soulful lights and shadows in its strug-
gle % open and shut ard perform the
sodden duties Of machine. Parents
and guardians should insist upon wean-
Ing their daughters If the latter can not
shake of this disgusting habit by the
strength Of their own wills and the die
tates Of their own sense Of propriety.
uI.~.. -. fLo n.a~f