The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-02-02
AN EASY HABIT TO BREAK.


Robert Barr Claims Smoking Is, But
Doesn't q We 1t w.
What / like about the habit of smok-
ing Is the ease with which 1t may be
abandoned. Many vices, such as opium
eating, wniskey drinking, lying or r cad
ing newspapers. once acquired. Obtain q
certain hold on q man that Is difficult to
shake off. Not so with smoking. The
most inveterate smoker can quit it with
out the slightest trouble. aud does-often.
| nave been in the habit of ceasing to
smoke about once every three months,
and l always swear OFT on New Years
Day. l think the smoker who does not
occasionally resolve never again to
touch tobacco lacks some of those noble
qualities which have made our nation so
bright and good and causes US to be the
envy of foreigners.
This commemorate resolution should be
made frequently and, with constant prac-
tice, the abjuring Of tobacco becomes an
easy and pleasant exercise of b will.
Neither is the resumption of smoking at
tended by any serious difficulty. | have
often quit smoking for ever in the fore
moor aud began again in the afternoon
without experiencing the slightest incon-
venience. Once I deserted tobacco for q
week. 1 wish l could record for the sa It's
faction of those who purpose a like de-
sertion the effect the absence of the
narcotic had on me; but the fact is l did
not feel we'll that week. aud SO neglected
to notice whether l suffered from the abb
stinence or not.
My impression Is that | did not, but
her 1 was hardly myself that week, and
it was scarcely q fair test. | wandered
aimlessly about like a lost spirit. l con-
stantly felt my pockets i'll an absent
minded way, and lit matches merely to
blow them out again. These %unexplain-
"a hIa u,o t,tn,,, n Srnna rod whom SrOnH
on" tobacco again, and SO | was forced to
the conclusion that sm oking is good for
the health.
To enjoy tobacco thoroughly you must
be moderate in its use. Put a limit on
yourself and see that o don't exceed
the limit. This exercises the will aud
make a resolute man of you. l never
allow myself to exceed the limit, no mat
ter how strongly tempted / may be. II |
find myself yearning TO smoke more than
my allowance | merely "raise the limit"
which phrase is, l am told, also used in
the wicked. but fascinating game of
poker. This is a simple and easy thing to
do. Say your limit is two ounces of to-
bacco a day, IN you find by constant ex-
and a half ounces, then raise the limit to
three ounces, which leaves a margin for
accidents.
Every man. patriotic man, has his re-
sponsibiIities TO his country, and If every
body suddenly stopped smoking and
drinking what would become of the
reveuue2 Looking at the matter, then,
from the lofty standpoint of love oil
country, every man should fix his limit
as high as his conscience will let him. l
place my limit at 1876 cigarettes a day, and
never exceed it. / have, however. Deen
gradually compelled to raise ths limit,
from the simple box of ten, at which |
began, to the number just mentioned, as
| acquired greater n grea er facility in
the use of the cigarette.
This shows what may be lone by con
slant practice, and assiduous attention
to the task undertaken. | set down these
simple facts with no desire to boast. 1t is
no genius on my part at all, but simply
logged perseverance. Any a~ble-bodied
man may accomplish the same degree OF
moderate perfection merely by putting
his mind to it.-Robert Barr In the
Tdler.