The morning news., 1899-11-19
EXPERIENCES OF A SMOKER.
MiIder and NfiIder Tobacco
the Older He Grows and Less of 1t.
From the New York Sun.

SAhohAhS 1Iluer ana MtAuer IoDhcco
the Older He Grows and Less of 1t.
From the New York Sun.
"As youngster in the army thirty-odd
years ago. said a smoker, 81 smoked plug
tobacco and liked it; used to cut off thin
shaVings, across the layers, from the end
of the plug, and roll them and crumble
them between the palms of the hands, and
then load up the old pipe and smoke. IL
took powerful draft TO get this tobac-
so started, but il held fire well, and made
good long smoke; and after a supper
of boiled pork, hard bread and tin-cup
cofee-that, you see, was what you might
call pretty solid food to smoke on-a pipe
of cut plug was a delight. But gracious
goodness! / couldn't begin to smoke that
now; pipe like that now would knock
me clean over; but l do like to get sniff
of just such a pipe, on a cool morning be-
fore breakfast in the open air when I
happen to walk behind a man smoking
one.
Il continued smoking after got out OF
the army. Smoking a pipe a good deal
but not plug tobacco, and coming finally
to smoking chiefly cigars, and these rather
strong; and / came finally, too, to rely on
tobacco good deal to brace me up in
my work, and it was a great help and
comfort and l could do better with 1t than
without it; but at last the time came when
1t was just the other way; when 1t did NOT
stimulate me; but when, rather, my fires
seemed clogged by it; when though freely
used for fuel, tobacco didn't generate the
heat nor afford the stimulus at all that
1t once had. 1t was still comfort, but
no longer a help in the work, and in time
it came to be a drawback: to retard
rather than TO facilitate my mental opera
tons. 1t gave a little glow al the very
outset, but that was soon lost and the
brain, as one might say, became opaque
and insensible, and so tobacco came to be
worse than no help, hindrance, as far as
work was concerned.
'One time wise friend told me of a
friend of his who had been immensely ben
Gifted by abstaining from tobacco and /
made up my mind to try that myself
was sort of run down, and half played out
and for two years and a half | used no
tobacco whatever. 1t was hard work to
give ii up, but l soon got used to being
without it, and soon began to feel better
and had a better tone a better nerve
and better grip generally. 1t did me a
pile OF good to give up smoking that two
years and a half: il seemed to sort ~
shake out of me the ragged nerve ends.
and TO freshen me. and brighten me. and
strengthen me. 1t was giving nature 4,
chance and nature responded by givine-
me buoyancy and power of resistance.
Nothing ever did me any more good than
that long period of abstenion from tobac-
W. II bicu5ll me around INTO good sham
again; and then once more l took up
smoking. That may seem foolish, perhaps
1t was, but that's what / did
u had a few cigars, the last of a box
from which | had been smoking. when 7
stopped, and | got out one Of them with
anticipation of great pleasure These an
uclpations were realized though only az
the beginning, for the smoking of the ci-
gar, before had got through with ii. yro,t-
ty nearly upset me. But the next cigar
didn't affect me that way. With that
fell into the old habit of smoking readily
SO hard is it 10 give up the habit, and SO
easy to resume it.
But l very soon found that for NV
own comfort and welfare, IL l we're to use
tobacco at all / must use 1t in moderation
Mine is mental occupation, but / sun
pose man can work as hard with Den
as he can with a pick. When / resumed
smoking tried it as a stimulant at work
but / very promptly found that that
wouldn't do at all. 1t gave a light and
agreeable exaltation at the outset. but as
before, one not at all lasting nor OF sum
Glen force to be valuable, and not only that
effect, brief and feeting, but continued
smoking while at work served now as IL
had come to do years before, only to clog
up The brain. In fact l found that as
far as I was concerned 1 could not work
and smoke, too
/ would have liked-I would like now.
Tor th9t matter-to smoke all the time. and
smoking Is a tremendous relief from care
and an uplifter, but as | found that in nv
own case, l couldn't smoke and work at
the same time, so I found later that Il
wouldn't do for me to smoke recklesslv
even out of working hours i didn't drtpk
at all, my general health was good, appe-
tite excellent, and enjoyment of food keen.
but with all this strength and health.
was less able than ever to stand tobacco.
] have an idea that this was because nv
good health made me in every wav so
much more sensitive; but, anyhow, could
stand now less tobacco than ever, and too
] found myself all the time seeking nnllder
cigars. To get the maximum amount If
enjoyment out of tobacco | must use II In
moderation; and that will me now consfsfa
in two mild cigars smoked conseeuttyely
after dinner at night / do not hesitate
to say that l find in The smoking of these
two cigars my chief minor enjoyment of
the day, and / do enjoy the smoking Of
them. nightly. But II / have sense
stop then. If / smoke later, or just before
going to bed, ] am likely to lie awake for
it, So / hnd. under these conditions, tram
guilty promoted not by the use Of to-
b9rrr but Inv abstepfion from II.