Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-06-26

weeks with remarkable regularity. He
may be sitting at his desk, walking
along the street, or even lying in bed
when the idea strikes him, but this
matters not, for when his sweet tooth
begins to assert itself there is but
one thing for him to do-start out to
find candy store. This man never
buys in large quantities, for he never
knows just how long the desire for
something sweet will pursue him.
Sometimes it lasts but a day or
two, while again it will continue for
week. While on one of these peri
odicals' the candy slave is never
without little bar of sweets, except
when he sleeps. Even then he is not
free, for he sometimes wakes up in
the night suffering from the same
burning desire for more candy. After
eating little he goes back to sleep
satisfied. A strange popularity of the
habit as it has fastened itself upon
this man is that after the fever" has
lett him he couldn't be induced to
taste candy for any consideration.
The stuff is absolutely repulsive to
me except when I am on one of my
sprees,' he says. This candy-eating
is no joke with me- | sometimes try
to throw off the desire when it laws
hold of me, but I find that 1 cannot
work without candy, for my nerves
become all unstrung, and nothing will
satisfy me. Naturally, it seems fool
1Sh to most people, but with me it is
a serious matter. I usually buy choc-
OIate creams and carry a small bag of
them around with me. never eat
more than 25 or so cents worth a dav.
The minute the spree works itself
out lose my desire for candy and the
sight of chocolate cream will some
times make me sick. I go along in
this way until the next periodical ar
rives, and then it is the same story
over again. | have tried to quit it, but
have never been able to hold out more
than one day Candy dealers who.
perhaps, are better qualified to Judge
the consuming properties of each in
dlyldual sweet tooth, assert that men
buy fully as much candy as women,
and not all of it is intended for future
delivery, either. There is, however, a
difference in the manner in which men
and women make purchases. Men
buy in 5 and 10-cent lots, so they can
carry the sweet stuff in their pockets
and eat it while walking along the
street. Women usually lean toward
pretty pasteboard boxes, and most of
their candy-eating is done either at
home or in the theater. But as to
persons who suffer from the candy
habit, well-deVeloped types are to be
found among both men and women.
Certainly there are candy fiends,"
said a State-street merchant, "and it
would be hard to say whether men or
women have the habit to more pro-
nounced degree. The candy habit is
like every other habit that fastens it.
self upon humanity. A good many
people eat sweet stuff because they
like it, while others devour it simply
to be doing something. They are the |
habltual candy-eaters. I know several !
men who buy candy three and four
times every day, and l suppose they |
could be called fiends. One man who |
comes in here never thinks OF going |
back to his office after lunch without |
taking five-cents worth of pepper
mint lozenges with him. Another
buys peanut candy every morning on
his way down to work. He is so reg
ular with his calls that our clerks have
quit asking him what he wants. When
he enters the door they begin weigh
ing out the candy. Cftentimes not a
word is spoken" One man, given
somewhat to periodical encounters
with liquids Incorporate, has found in
chocolate creams a helpful remedy
after night with the boys. He keeps
a box of creams in his room at all
times. When he wakes up in the
morning suffering the tortures of his
lnebrious jaunt he eats two or three
Of them. "They are the best things |
ever found to settle my stomach after
it has been unduly upset." he says.
Sounds strange, 1 know, but l have
tried them and know whereof speak.