Without havig the rest of the story, I think that it means that ma smokes like a chimney stack. Ma must have been a smoker, perhaps a very heavy smoker at that (cigarettes or pipe).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-02-05 08:15:11 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Here is a reference that uses the expression:

www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/ 1841/letters/41_08_31.htm - 3k

\"I now sit in my little room upstairs nearly all day long, read and smoke like a chimney-stack, fence until the swords nearly crack, and amuse myself as best I can. \"