The Portland daily press., 1882-01-14
A Southern Story About DR.. Hol-

lSt LOUIS Repuplcan.I
After the occupancy of New Orleans by Fed
eral troops during our late war, gunboats pa
trolled the river for some distance above the
city. On one of these DR.. Holland, then en-
gagged in "writing up the South" was a priv
ileged guest.
When his ironclad monster was at anchor
opposite the plantation of gentleman well
known in st. Louis and father of the relator Of
this incident, he asked the privilege OF the
proprietor of visiting his home and seeing his
family Permission was courteously given,
aud he was at liberty to make the visit at his
pleasure. Mr.. g., as will call the planter,
has a fondness for cigarettes, and having pro-
cured some choice tobacco and a few corn
shucks he one morning introduced his daugh-
ters and some lady visitors into the art Of max
ing cigarettes and with the request that they
would display their skill in manufacturing
| him several days supply, he went out to look
| after his plantation interests.
| The girls were merry in the prosecution OF
| their newly acquired art, and one OF them In
| playful spirit proposed that they each smoke
| cigarette The idea of girls smoking was "aw-
| fully funny TO all of them, and with merry
| laughter each lit cigarette and the cheerful!
| group were soon putting away amid cloud OF
It was inst then that Dr. Holland put in his
| appearances Without fear OF rebels in am
| bush he had walked fIom the river bank to the
G. mansion unattended by armed mariners.
| He rano the door bell, and on servant pre-
| senting himself he asked to see the ladies OF
| the family. He did not want them notified OF
| bis presence and invited to the parlor. De
would see them just as they were in the family
| sitting room. The inner home life OF Southern
| women was what he wanted to see and write
| about. The servant without other ceremony
ushered him into the presence OF the smoking
damsels. He took the maidens by surprise,
caught them in bit of fun in which they new
er had been engaged before, and in which IL Is
| proper to say not one ever lndulgsd again.
But to the visitors imagination it was one OF
the every day acts, not only Of that company
of Young ladies but OF all of the better class OF
Southern women. 1t was precious item 70
transmit to his Northern readers, and after
announcing his namo and mission ne drew
| forth pencil and book, and his nimble fingers
| Immediately commenced record OF his sur
roundings and observations: -,
The Young ladies beat hasty retreat with
out explanation, and sent Mrs. G.. to entertain
the visitor, but he no doubt, supposed they
| had retired to another room to finish their
| mornings smoke. As might be expected the
doctor wrote, and his publisher printed, an
| account of this visit, in which 1t was asserted
that all of the better class Of Southern ladie:
are addicted to the habit OF smoking. Posi-
bly, the amiable doctor went down TO ms grave
with his opinion Of Southern women IN tnc re,
spect indicated unchanged, and especially so Of
the group of fair maidens whose cigarette
work shop he 80 unceremonlously INVADED
and whose first and only attempt at smoking
he SO suddenly terminated.
Two of those cigarette young ladies are now
St. Louis and st. Louis county matrons. In
the well-filled library OF one of them found
several bound volumes of Scribner's Monthly
edited by DR.. Holland, and it was this fact
that called to the mind of the lady the incident
lust related, and which deem worthy the rec
ord have here made Of 1t.