The herald., 1897-03-14
WOMEN AND TOBACCO
French Journsl Reviews the Feminine Fond
ness for Lady Nicotine


Mons. Decroix, the delightful presi-
dent of the Society for the Prevention of
the Abuse of Tobacco, must have jumped
for JOY at reading in the papers that the
young czarine is so opposed to the use of
cigarettes that she is trying to take some
action in her own immediate circla
against the habit of smoking, which has
become quite prevalent among women in
the best society in Russia.
Mons. Decroix would, no doubt, like
to see the sovereigns of other countries
initiate this example, for during the past
few years the cigarette habit has been
laying hold of women all over the world.
In France the association of men and
women In all kinds of sports has been
the cause of greater degree of intima-
cy and has brought us to accept the
cigarette, whose use is extending among
young women of the most exacting cir
cles. Even the most critical no longer
protest when two rosy lips send out a
few puffs of smoke between a couple OF
games of tennis. Besides, our grand
mothers loyed tobacco. The duchess Of
Chartres ard the duchess of Bourbon, un
der Louis XIV, even went so far as to
smoke pipes-yes, pipes, my dears!
In all times Spanish women have
gars. Marriott, in his Memoirs" tells
US this without mincing matters. And
they smoke In England and in the Unit
ed States, although in the latter country
| 1t is only recently that women have be-
| gun to use tobacco. There was a story in
Gil Bias not long ago to the effect that
| three young girls in Louisville, Ky.
were seen smoking by policeman and
| were arrested. The judge. although rec
1T, t1,o+ ca6 ,nfs
| forming to the prcprieties, felt bound tc
| release them because they were violar-
| ing no law.
To conflne ones observations to thost
| in the highest places, it may be said
| that the empress of Austria smoke:
| from thirty to forty cigarettes a day;
| the dowager empress of Russia smokes
| but only in her own private apartments
while the queen of Roumania, the queer
regent of Spain, Queen Amalia of Por.
| tugal-who in this respect is following
her mothers example-the wife Of tn,
comte de Paris, and, lastly, the queen D
| Italy are all confirmed smokers. Ant
! yet Mons. Decroix Is anxious that king:
| and princes and the august consort
| should be the ones to set a good exam
| pie. At one time, about two years ago
he had a hopeful moment. 1t is wei
| known that Queen Victoria is fond
| Snun anu tnal neT SOH, the prince u
| Wales, smokes cigars from morning un
| til night. One day the newspapers an
nounced that the prince. upon the ad
vice of his physician, was going to Civ
| up smoking There was great rejoicin:
| In the Society for the Prevention of th
| Abuse of Tobacco, but prudence of tn
| most elementary sort bade them TAX
the precaution of making inquiries be
fore indulging in too much rejoicing
SO they wrote to London. Alas! Th
prince replied that there was no founda
tion for the report and that he wa
smoking Just as he always had. A.
which Mons. Decroix nearly fell ILL.,
Another disappointment awaited hin
| few months after this. 1t was the sud
| den retirement of Mons. Casmir-Perie
| almost before he was fairly installed Il
the presidential chair. Mons. Casimir
Perier was the ideal president for Mons
Decroix, president who did not smoke
or who smoked so little that it was no
worth mentioning.
Mons. CsimirPerier resigned his or
fee. And to whom?
To Mons Felix Taure, who smokes
| pfpei-Les Annales.