Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-17
WOMEN WHO SMOKE.
They Are Devoted to Society and to
the Cigarette.

the Cigarette.
From the New York Herald.
Is smoking among women here to stay7
In the homes of the best society, where
few years ago the feminine cigarette was
puffed In hidden corners and bolted and
barred recesses, 1t has now come to be
openly smoked, and is as much the finale
TO feminine luncheon or O mixed dinner
as the cup of black coffee.
No married woman in society who means
to be considered at all fin de steele neglects
her cigarette. But to speak the truth of
New York women, they don't allow their
daughters or encourage their young I'M
married sisters to smoke. Not, they will
tell you, because they consider there Is
anything inherently wrong in smoking It
self, but simply because they regard 1t as
one Of the luxurious distractions which
become necessary only after the nerves
have undergone a certain wear and tear.
Women fully launched drift into smoking
as they drift into fifty other things which,
as girls. they would think 1t a mistake to
cultivate.
The confidence lately developed in New
York women has been drawn straight from
England. There the women of highes: rank
all smoke, and from the day they adopted
the habit have never cared to make the
smallest secret about it.
They didn't need TO, FOR the example was
first set from the home Of royalty itself.
Dagmar, Empress Of Russia, when she WIS.,
tied her sister, the Princess Of Wales, was
the first to set the habit. She had acquired
1t in Russia, and when she found no ladies'
smoking room at Sandringham she request
ed the draperies of her bcudoir re moved,
so that she could smoke there She did 1t SO
deliberately and daintily, yet with so much
zest, extollirg as she did so its delights
and benefits SO far that even the princess
was soon wen over. Society followed with
astonishing ease ard rapi6ity, and thence
forward amopg women the cigarette was
the thing. aE
Lady ChuTchhiu ana Her Cigarettes.
When Lady. Randolph Churchill paid her
last visit heretsh took gocd care to carry
her cigarette case with her. Not every
woman here smoked. she knew, and those
who did were doing 1t more or less sub rosa
Wherever she appeared to luncheon she ask
ed permission to smoke afterward.
Only a few had the courage to Join her,
and the others went about saying to each
other, "Only TO think of IL; Jennie actually
smokesW Lady Randolph said in public,
why, Of course l smoke; every nice wo-
man in England smokes" And then the
New York women plucked up courage and
said And a very good thing, too; let's do
II ourselves" So they did.
Some women have already gone so far as
selves, but the majority use their husbands
and, after dinner accept the cigarettes
when passed round by the footman. remain
ing to smoke them with the gentlemen.
From this it must not be inferred that they
cross their feet or put them up on the table,
or ding them forward while they lolr back
In their chair, or necessarily adopt any other
attitude unbecoming q woman Of nice re-
serve. They simply enjoy their little weed
In pretty, chic. graceful way, and pretty
woman need never look more feminine than
when she does It. Her ease and aint1ness,
too. in the matter will be pretty good test
Of snvoir-faire.