El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-11-02

'Did yon ever notice the peculiari
ties of smoke rs?' asked a Main street
cigar dealer, as he seized handful
case for the newspaper man to take a
selection.
"There is great study in it," he
continued as ne pushed the gas jet in
range. There are almost as many
kinds of smokers in the world as there
are men who smoke. Every one OF
them has little fad of his own about
smoking.
Some of my customers think a cigar
has to have a certain color to be a
good smoker. I've been in the bust
ness for years, and l can see no differ
ence in certain grades of goods of the
same class, other than straight or
medium, but the customers can, or
think they can, and will look all over
the showcase to find the cigar which
has just the right color.
"Oae Of my customers thinks no CT
gar is as good as one with spotted
wrapper. and he always LOOKS for a
spottt cigar. The filters are all the
anne. and 1 would be willing to bet tn lat
if in the dark where he cOuldn see the
wrapper he couldn't tell ones from an
o her.
Then there are men who never think
of using the cutter on the counter. Some
say it is likely to spread disease,
though the cigar is never placed in the
mouth until the tip has been clipped
off. l have one customer who has
blade in his pen-knife reserved for the
special service of cutting OH the tips If
bis cigars. Others carry the cigar
scissors made for the purpose.
Now and then you will notice man
bite off the end OF his cigar. He is one
of these who believes it ruins the flavor
Of cigar to cut it and says the rough
end left by teeth makes an absorbent
of nicotine and prever Is it from get
tirg into the system. and also makes it
softer to the tongue.
'Then there are smokers who never
cut off the tip at all, but make three
incisiOns into the cigar around the tip
while there are others still who insist
tn at no cigar is fit to smoke unless
wedge shaped place is cut in the end.
[ could tell you hundred little.tricks
Of my customers if [ could remember
them all"
To the seeker after the new and
novel. as newspaper men, the dealers
remarks would be likely to excite in
terest and cause some study of the sub
ject.
Close observation goes to show that
slaves of the great ruler, Nicotine.
have language and sort of secret
NEE ting ground of their own. No one
belongs to a magnificent brotherhood,
and no matter where in the world he
may wander he will find kindred
feeling where he finds tobacco smok-
ers.
No matter how wide the social diff
ference may be, the filmy rings of
tobacco smoke Will bridge it. Did one
smoker ever hear of another refusing a
light? If there ever was such case
1t has not been recorded.
A man may be many times mil
iouaire and a street urchin with half
burned out '.snipe" will approach him
with perfect confidence and chirrup:
IL ght, mister"
The man of wealth, whose influence |
may sway the fortunes of thousands of
people, will remove the cigar from his |
lips, bow the ashes from the end and !!
give the urchin the light. This goes
10 show how strong are the ties that !
bind smokers together. 1t it said that
This social feature of the smoking habit !
las spread faster than the actual love !
Tor the weed.
MOI e men have become acquainted |
through the medium of tobacco than
any other way Oh earth. Let two strange
men be thrown together alone and the
chances are that not more than five
minutes will pass before the question,
DO you smOke?' will be put by one
Or the other. If the answer is in the
cigars or pipes are lit and
the acquaintance is formed at once
Among those who travel consid era bly,
this is more especially the case. The
SmORlOU room of a Slaanar : ores at
recruiting ground for new. acquain-
tances among sociable people like Amer
leans.