The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-04-24
Smokers and Smoking.

"The modern nuisance" says Mr..
Labouchere, sis not the smoker, but
the lady who objects to him. Most
ladies like the smell of smoke; those
who do not are behind the age and
would do well to accustom themselves
to it." 1t is the custom in this country
to speak and act with spirit more
kindly than Mr.. Labouchere shows to-
wards women. The few men who do
not do so are thought to be unhap-
Ply in their minds by reason of their in
capacity to please.
Neither they nor the few women who
are not grateful for the consideration
they receive, will have the power to
change this fortunate reading of the
unwritten law. But we have small
question of casuistry to ask of the max
ers of social regulations. Those wo-
men who do like smoking, and whose
only objection is that in certain times
and places the liberation of it is de-
stroying to their dignity, when and
where and to whom may they permit
itp
None but people who have lived all
their lives in single social circle, or
who are for themselves most comforta-
bly, opinionated, will say that the ques-
tion is settled, and that whoever is in
doubt is so out of ignorance. A wide
observation, however superficial, shows
that there is puzzling variety of law
where there should be convenient flexi-
bility. 1t might even be, perhaps it is,
among the ''don'ts" that a gentleman
does not smoke while walking in the
street with a lady Yet there are mar
ried women of good standing who walk
part way down town every morning
with their husbands, and would not
think of.asking them to give up their
after breakfast cigar. And nobody is
shocked.
At the seashore everyone will admit
no, that is not safe to say-but most
people will admit that it is allowable
for the men to smoke when party of
ladies and gentlemen are sitting to-
gether on the rocks; but may they
smoke in walking to the rocksP Some
say no. On hotel verandahs a gentle
man feels obliged to ask a lady who
may join the group in which he has
previously been smoking if he may re-
tain his cigar. But what would he
bulIlh IL SHO COulCSS tHSU Sl1Oh-
ing is not endurable to her?
There is a kind of half politeness
that forces lady to consent when
smoking makes her really i'll, or when
she thinks it is, in that particular situ-
alton, little derogatory to her to per-
NIT it; for the conventionality may not
be disregarded which exacts some loss
of comfort in keeping up more or less
formal manners between a gentlewo-
man and the gentlemen who are not of
her family. But to smoke on veran-
dab surely is allowable, and needs no
apology to lady who of her own ac-
cord joins party where smoking al
ready is going on.
Some say that on any country walk
it would be setting aside too much of
her dignity for a lady to permit man
not of her own family to smoke. Some
would even require gentleman to
throw away his cigar who joined a lady
in stroll about the grounds of coun-
try house where both are guests, while
most would call that absurdity indeed.
When the master of house offers
cigars to an evening visitor, the latter,
though he knows he may light it, asks
But what may the husband do whose
wife declares smoking makes her sick,
destroys the sweet air of her house, is
a wicked vice, or what not? Dreadful
stories are told al lunch tables among
women alone, of husbands alienated
and driven TO evil companionship. not
in the least by native inclination, but
by the obstinacy OF wives who would
not reconcile themselves to federation
of smoking at home. On the other
hand there is legend OF cruel man
who persisted in smoking before his
wife, who said that the least whiff of
smoke gave her pangs so severe that
he did not believe in them at all. And
one day she was found dead in her bed,
and they found out that she had had
heart disease, and that tobacco had
been the immediate cause of her de-
parture. Boston Courier