The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-02-21
CIGARETTE SMOKING.
Instead of Decreasing the Habit is
creasiEg-W0msn Who Use Them.

''Do you sell many cigarettes?" q
local tobacco dealer was asked Yes.
good many he replied, ''much more
than l used 90. In spite of the fact
! that cigarettes have been scored by the
newspapers of the country. the practice
of smoking them is increasing in Cleye-
/ land. says the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
''fwo years ago did not sell half as
many as do now, and L can't imagine
what has caused the increase unless it
Is that their dcnunciation in the papers
has acted on the perverSe public Ike
abuse of politician only serving TO
advertise the evil. A short time since
their use seemed to be confined to
Young men, bnt within the last six
months L have sold almost as MANY to
middle-agetl men as 10 young men. I
have an idea how this came about, but
am not positive. Yau see, great
many confirmed smokers 90 to the
thcaters. and during the play they
want Il smoke. Now, man who
smokes good cigars as a general thing
can not afford to go out between the
acts, light his cigar. and after smoking
about one-fORrth of it, throw it away.
So think those staid old fellows got
into the habit of occasionally smoking
cigarettes, and the habit grew on
them. Ten years ago if lady smoked
it would have been regarded as dis
gusting, and yet L know that at the
present day there are hundreds of
girls in this city who smoke cigarettes
occasionally, and some married women
who even make habit of it. A con-
frmed cigarette-smOker is very much
like drunkard-he's got TO have it.
Why. one night as | was closing up, in
rushed II fellow but little more than
half dressed and bought package of
cigarettes. Hanged if didn't nearly
60 to bed without nv cigarettesI' he
said. and then he explained that he
had to have them beside his bed, for if
he woke up in the night he could not
go to sleep again until he had smoked
a cigarette.
1--WE aren't so very far behind Gin
cinnati after ALL remarked a man
about town recently. '.You look at
the number of high-toned young ladies
Who go to some of our saloon-restaur-
ants with young bloods and punish
two or three pints of champagne with
their supper. 1t is all very innocent,
no doubt, and merely little diversion,
but it goes against my grain. I'm no
Young Mans Christian Association
man, but | wouldn't care to see my
sister indulging in such leisure. L
know really nice girls who think noth-
ing of going to these respectable sa-
oon-restaurants and having a Jolly
little spree. | wonder if they know
that in some of the adjoining stalls
there are women who stop at nothing?
OF course there is IL partition between
the good and the bad, but it isn't nice
any way you can fix it. Il allow no
improper conduct in my restaurant A
lady can take a glass of wine here
with her friend as safely as in her own
parlor, said one of the proprietors of
a place to me. All very true, perhaps.
Still | know lots of young fellows like
myself-by no means Sunday-schooi
yOuths-who form very poor opinions
of such girls, and, mark my words. If
those girls ever get married it will not
be to men who will hold their wives in
xyan.x- .rFaof ,-asnanf