Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-20
GUM CHEWING INVOGUE
A Feature of Dinners Given by
Society Women.
NOT CONSIDERED A VULGAR HABIT

Pepsin the Popular Flavor and En-
tirely Chewed For Indigestion, So
cfety Woman Declares Sent to
| Country Homes by Confectioners In
Quantities Women chew 1t Be
tween Meals Too.
Gum chewing Is no longer considered
| a vulgar habit, for women in the smart
| set have taken 1t up this summer and
| are serving it with bonbons after
luncheons and dinners in their coun-
try. mountain and seashore homes.
says the New York Telegram.
1t has been introduced on the ground
| of its being an aid to digestion, and
pepsin consequently is the popular
| kind.
Just why chewing gum should be so
popular with the best families is diff
cult to understand, according to a
prominent confectiOner, who declares
that now when women buy a box of
candy or an ice cream soda they also
get box of gum, and, furthermore,
that with all the standing orders for
candies that go into the mountains and
to the seashore each week there is
also q request for ten or twenty boxes
of pepsin gum.
AZ believe that gum is now consid-
cred delicacy," he says. land is
served with the choicest bonbons after
each meal. 1t is not refused at table
either, for the orders show that i'm
mense quantities of it are daily con-
sumed.
when this run on gum began
questioned a society woman's orders
for so many boxes, declaring that there
must be some mistake, and in answer
she appeared and told rhe she wished
an order &c twenty boxes sent each
week to her country home when the
ten pound box of chocolates was ship
ped. 1 must have looked very much
surprised, for she fastened to say: Il
like gum after a meal, especially the
pepsin flavor, and so many persons are
afflicted with indigestion and of course
don't want to excuse themselves to
take medicine that / know l am doing
them kindness by giving them some
thing that contains enough pepsin to
have a Quieting effect on the stomach.
So long as everybody chews it really
is not an Objectionable habit, and in
the drawing room or on the porch for
half an hour or longer after meals 1t
is rather comfort We women feel
as if we were having dissipation SIM
liar to the mems smoking, except that
they join us in chewing and really
seem to enjoy it,
after meals is not the only time
these society women chew gum nova
days, for after taking soda. ice cream,
etc, many of them buy box and put
q piece in their mouths before they en-
ter their automobile or carriage.
when purchasing a large number
Of boxes one well known woman said
to me: Gum is the greatest possible
comfort on a long auto trip. 1t keeps
one from being thirsty and, believe,
from becoming nervous when sitting
quietly for hours. OF course / do get
tired If l chew 1t all the time, but in
stead Of constantly working the jaws
1 keep it in my mouth and chew it oc-
casionally.'
when prepared for shipment to the
country or mountains or for coaching
or motoring parties the gum should be
carefully wrapped IN oil or paraffin pa
per and put in an air tight aluminium
box, so that the pieces Will not melt
and run together and be sticky when
from the covering.
"As to standing orders for confec-
tionery shipped each week to out Of
town homes, the demand is greater this
season than ever before, though the
quantities are practically the same, be-
ing between five and ten pounds every
seven days. The orders for summer
vary from those placed during the win
ter in that fewer nuts and chocolates
and candied fruits are wanted; instead
mixtures of taff1es, buttercups and
hard caramels, with the quarter and
half pound pieces Of chocolate especial
y prepared for eating. Molasses and
bonbons that are not easily affected by
he hot weather are also favorites.
''In shipping these to country houses
Or for steamer gifts the pieces are
packed in layers between sheets Of |
,araffin paper. The cardboard boxes |
ire also lined with this paper and then,
after being carefully wrapped to pre-
rent jarring or slipping, are put In |
In boxes and Dramatically sealed to |
Keep out air and preserve them SO that |
When they reach their destination they |
will be as fresh and look as well as