Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-10-16
SMOKERS COURTESY.
Why Devotees Of the Weed
Should Garry Matches.
Danger OF Contracting Disease when Civ
Ing Stranger Light From Burn
Ing CIEar-sOlId Chunks Of
Common Sense.
IN. Y. Sun.l

the settees on the veranda Of the Brighton
Beach Hotel, and drawing Q cigar from
his pocket approached q gray-bearded
man with q polite request for q light.
The old gentleman pufred away at his ca
/ gar serenely, and after an exhaus i've ex-
animation of his pockets said:
The fact that have not got O match
grievss me, bat have no doubt that you
can get light st the cigar stand. II you
do nos know It's location, shall take
pleasure In guiding you to It."
Thank you. s:r," replied the young
man, aushing ansriiy. "It were - nm
tortunAts - 20 occasion you any trouble,
1 should never forgive myself"
A weh-known physician OF this city,
who had overheard the Conversation be.
tween the msa, rubbed his hands glee.
fully and said:
THAT old man II just one mass OF good,
sound common sense. One Of the great.
est evils tha. smokers are subjected to IL
the mistaken idea that courtesy compels
them 70 lee every Tom. Dick and Harry
handle their cigars. I know msa who
would risk their lives at . moments no.
tice 20 oblige . friend, bat who haven't
sufficient moral courage to keep their
cigars inviolas% Suppose my cigar is
hAlf Or three-qaAxters smoked up, do you
suppose am going TO let o stranger han =
die IL and then return It to my MOUTH A
man OF sense or thought won't ask or OK.
| pect II. "
suppose . gentleman asked you for .
light, and upon your refusing should ask
you for your reasons, what would you
sayr
HE would have no occasion to make
any such request, because should hand
him one OF the matches which always
carry, as much for the benefit of other
persons as for myself. should cons:d er
such request, under any circumstances,
q piece of impertinenee, because
claim the humble American privilege
OF doing what I please with
what belongs to me- II began ex-
planning my action It would be q long
and perhaps interesting explanation, and
I'll bet that by the time got through the
man would never again ask anyb 0dy for
light, and never again return q cigar to
his mouth IL anv stranger had hanl ft.
Just consider for one moment the number
OF poisonous substances that ara handled
every day, not Only by mechanics and
laborrrs. but by scien lists, and chemists,
and clerks and physicians A drug clerk
! Is engaged In compromising q prescrip.
tion. The last ingredient he used is
deadly pIison He runs out for something
and, meeting you on the way, asks you
for light. You hand him your cigar.
and when he returns 1t to you it is unfit
for you to put into your mouth. The to-
bacco has absorbed q bad flavor or the
smalles' Inn .ginabe speck OF poison clings
20 the mo ened part Before your cigar
Is smok'd up you begin to feel uncomfort-
able, and the more you smoke the worse
you feel You vote the cigar q beastIy
one and throw 1t away. OF course It never
occurs to you 70 sit down and think how
many mon have handled that cigar after
you begaa . nOking It.
have seen a physician stop a surgical
operation and h.ht q cigar, and I have
seen that same cigar used In Lighting
othe cigars A hrAss finisaer on his way
hom" from work borrows your ci sar. He
r'turns l. to you with q small quantity OF
lrnss dust adhering to 1t. This dust
works it way into your mouth, which is a
irthS sore already. The consequence In
that your mouth is poisoned, and it NAV
take months to repair the evil A friend
of mine cut his finger one day. Before the
cut healed soms sort Of poison was de-
posted in l.. The hand became stiR and
swollen. and finally began to puff up as
though IL was inflated with air. He came
to me. and after had prescribed for him.
We left my Office together. Ihad lust lit
. fresh cigar. In the street NV friend
asked me- for light I handel him INV
cigar. When he returned it to me threw
1t away, and drawing a fresh cigar from
my pocket, lit it with match. Ny friend
looked at me In astOnishment, and said he
was sorry l considered it necessary to
throw my cigar away. I told him that d id
that to teach him that he had no more
right to handle my cigar with his Injured
hand than leper has to kiss q healthy
baby. or course he saw what l meant
right on, and was always very careful
after that IL had acted as q great
many men would consider it right to act
he would have gone around handling
cigars promiscuOusly, and perhaps have
caused great deal OF misery"
Some men would consider il an insult
IL you were to refuse them the privilege
OF handling your cigar"
al know that, and those are the men
above all others 10 whom you must dsny
that privilege. One breezy Sunday was
StroIling across High Bridge, when two
rough specimens Of humanity stepped in
front Of mo. One Of them had q short
piece OF cigarette and the other held the
butt end Of . cigar between his fingers.
handed one Of them q match and passed
on. Pretty soon they came running after
me-
"'That match went OUT said one.
"Ihanded him another, and had gone q
short distance when they overlook me
again.
"'Soy. boss,' said the rough one, there
amt no use talkin' or bein' proud. Yer
got no more chance Of mAkia' . match
bur n than yer has in nndin' gold. Let's
have yer seegyar.'
II declined TO comply with this request.
Lo0k'er here. old man. said the fel.
low stepping In front OF me- i consider
yer manners insultin', an IL yer don't let
60 yer grip Of that 'ere seegyar I1i be
scVtsr obleeged TO take it away. AMI
Sayin' RI hit, Bill, OF amt If'
The other loafer signiHed his willing.
ness 70 swear to his eemi auion's stat.
meut-
81 looked about me, but could zee mo-
body on the bridge except . slim young
man In check clothing about 300 feet
away. Then I looked at the dirty fellows
before me, and concluded to surrender INV
etSars and puaish them by throwing il
away when 70 was returned to me. I ac-
cordingiy handed it otec. The fellow
calmly threw sway the stump he held in
bis hand and placed my cigar betweeu his
lire. Then Ne han yhed and saidt
.sThaCs for InsuItln, . gs1tlemau' -
InvvyAMnm Dn,kal>