Mexico Missouri message., 1900-05-17
The MAN WHO BLOWS RINGS
A Bad Case, But Not Always Hopelessly
Incurable.

We know the man who takes O
cigarette, as he is careful TO explain,
from motives of sociality; we know,
too, how much the spectacle of Il man
with watering eyes, pale but smiling
face, and a lump of chewcd cigarette
held tightly between the thumb and
first finger, j: likely to add to the gent
atty of the evening; but as compared
with the blowing Of rings, he is Il
pleasant companion and an informed
and adequate smoker.
lie never blows rings when he is
alone. Those that would make
circus of themselves must have an
audience.
In the company of his fellows, there
arc great competitions, however.
With mouths rounded to the shape of
the mouth Of jampot, they vie hor-
ribly one with another. They Send
rings through rings with all the hide
Gus and meaningless glee Of the men
tally afflicted. They make noisy cjac-
ulations such as: 90. did YOU see
that" or Il did a good one last Tues
day"
Fate sends us strange companions,
and it may happen that group Of
men who are really smokers may find
in their midst blower of rings. lie
blows a score of rings, looking round
all the time with a mean and furtiye
eye to see if he is being noticed.
If he is noticed. in all probability
nothing is said. If a man of decent
feeling finds himself talking to some
one with an incurable stutter he at
least prctcnds to take no notice of it;
and the unpleasant habit of the ring
blower will seem to the real smoker a
thousandfold worse than the worst
sufferer known to science.
But this does not satisfy the blower.
lie rcdoublCs his efforts, and sends
one ring through another lie can
hardly bring hjm,clf TO believe that
admiration i, still denied him. lie be-
gins to ask other people if they can
blow rings.
IT, in contcmpt mingled with
mercy some man rcplics that he can.
not the blower is ovcrioycd lie tell.
how he practiccd it himself. lie ask.
| thc man to observe lie saws he did 4
rood one last Tuesday, Tie pufFs and
braqs and pu(Ts and jracs until true
smokers find cnooocmcnts elsewhere
Out of any card box YOU can make
if you think it worth while, a mucl
more accurate ring-blower than tn,
human variety, and it will look dis
tinctlv less repulsive in the process
The card variety has the additiona
advantage that it cannot talk.
Let us. however. do the strictcs
Justice to the human ring blower
The theory that ring blowing soothc
the nerves is too sufficiently stampc,
with obvious falsity to require an,
further consideration. But it mus
be confessed that the ring blower doe
smoke very quickly.
And it must be admitted with equa
fairness that the ring blower, as
rule smokes such pcstilcnt rubbisI
that the sooner it is burned the better
But when we have said that We hay
said all. Apart from that there
no point to be urged in his favor.
Is the habit incurablc? am sur
it is not. It frequently happens tina
| the ring blower is a very Young smok
e err. and it almost always happens tina
, he knows nothing about tobacco. an,
cares nothing either. In his voun
, and easily influenced condition h
may meet some girl who will onl
consent to marry him on the condi
/ ton that he gives up smoking. Ash
/ is no sacrifice to him, of course, h
i does give it up. We may thank tina
| o;,l