The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-08-04
Can a TObaccO-SmOker BE a Gentle-
man!

Can a lODaccO.SmOker BE a Gentle.
mane
l do not say he cannot, l merely ask the
question. 1t is not a sufficient answer to
say that men of the highest social position
in every class and rank in society smoke.
Some such men do many other things from
which thoroughly thoughtful and honest
men would be free. A gentleman will al.
ways consider and respect the feelings and
comfort of others. Some time ago there
was an ecclesiastical convocation of some
sort in Baltimore. Md. Magnates of the
church were there from all parts of the
country. Great pains were taken to give
these celebrities hearty reception and to
extend to them generous and elegant hos
ptality. The best homes in the city were
opened to them and the elite of its society
eAerted all their art to do them honor. A
Rev. gentleman of New York was a guest,
with others, of a charming family in an
elegant home. who thought themselves hon
ored by his presence. When the company
were assembled in the parlOr one day after
dinner. the Rev. gentleman said to the lady
of the house, Madam, do you object to my
smoking in your parlOr?" The lady was
cOnfounded, stunned for the moment, and
then replied, "Sir. there has never been
smoking here" The Rev. gentleman said,
"Oh, we'll. then l will go into my chamber
and smoke there" which he did, and the
lady afterwards said that it was many days
before she could purify the apartments from
the lOathsOme smell of tobacco, which was
to her an abOminatiOn. Could gentleman
have done that deliberately, or proposed it?
Why was it, then, that this Rev. gentleman
forgot for the moment that he was gen.
tleman or ought to be such, and that his
proposition to his hostess was for permis.
sion to create an intOlerable nuisance to her
and her guests? The answer is that he was
slave to the tobacco habit and victim
of vile sensualiSm. At the moment he
was in an agony for the intoxication of
nicotine. and he did not doubt that the
comfort of everybody else should be subOr-
dinate to it. The tobacco habit is as absurd
as are the stunted feet of the Chinese
women. the pigtail of the Chinaman, or the
distorted skull of the Flathead Indian.
l know a man in Minnesota who by edu-
cation, social position, manners, and breed.
ing is every inch gentleman. A lady of
my acquaintance told me this story of him.
The lady, with others. was at some local
celebration in town. These were to be
some literary exercises at place mile or
two distant. to which all invited guests were
taken in carriages. 1t fell to the lot of this
lady and two others to be assigned to the
same carriage with this gentleman. When
they started off, he took out cigar and
match. saying, Ladies' do you object to
my smoking here" OF course they said,
No" The result was that these ladies
were in torment during the drive and sick
for the rest of the day. l am sure this gen.
tleman would be ashamed if it were pointed
out to him that he had been guilty of the
grossest vulgarty and blackguardism.
Why did this gentleman fail to see this?
Because the tobacco habit dulls the moral
sense of everyone who is victim to it.
1t cannot be denied that this tobacco
habit is gross and vulgar sensualsm. or it
would be vulgar but for the fact that so
many men of mark and high social position
are guilty of it, as in the old time many
such men we're gross and habitual drunk
ards. But. for all that. drunkenness in that
time. though tolerated and cOndOned. was
base and vile violation of all laws of decencv
and propriety. as the tobacco habit ought to
be considered in our day. A. A. w.
There is power in the direct glance of
sincere and loving human soul. which will