The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-12
ABOUT WOMEN WHO SMOKE.
Some Smoke for the Love of 1t and
Some for Suitability.
New York Sun

A young woman, the owner of a cozy lit
tie smoking room, who makes no secret
of her enjoyment of an after-dinner pipe,
was questioned the other day as to why
women use tobacco. She was seated in the
cozy little room and with a special friend
was enjoying a pull.
Well" she said. American women
who smoke can be catalogued in three
classes. namely. those who do it for the
love OF the weed itself those who do it to
be sociable and those who wish to appear
sporty. | belong to the first class, my
friend over there to the second class. while
the third class-oh, well. they are the
girls one sees and reads about as smoking
in cafes. on the street cars and other pub
lie places, though l must say women who
smoke in public places do not always do
it to attract attention.
Il remember last spring on shipboard
when returning from winter in Florida,
quite a pretty girl was discovered smoking
on deck. She had selected a part of the
deck away from the other passengers and
was quietly enjoying cigarette when a
party of men saw her.
. / bet you $50 1 can speak to that girl
and at the end of ten minutes be on the
friendliest terms with her. said one of
a group of good-looking young fellows to
his friends.
THE bet was not made, but after walk
ing around and seeing the girls face at
closer range another young man of the
group said he would fail II he attempted
it. The first mentioned young man strolled
to the girls end of the deck. loitered
around in the neighborhood, and then, TAX
ing out a cigar, said to her with his most
killing smile and bow.
I" i have left my match safe in my state
room; won't you be good enough to give
me light?'
'sShe silently handed him her lighted ciga-
rette. After lighting his cigar he returned
her cigarette with expressions of his graft
tude. She took the cigarette tossed it
overheard left her seat and went to her
stateroom without opening her lips to him.
OF course. his friends had the laugh on him,
and all the women around who had wit
messed the performance were charmed with
the girl. / afterWard learned she was fond
of tobacco. but made deathly sick by the
odor of stale smoke. and so for that reason
she did not smoke in the privacy of her own
For myself, 1 always smoke after din
course, during the day, when inclined, l
smoke just about as men do. sometimes
one pipe full. sometimes several. l can
think better when smoking, and also it
rests me. Now, my friends as a rule
smoke merely to be sociable. They take
a cigar or cigarette at a dinner or lunch
con where they are handed around after
the coffee, or when paying a social call.
Somehow, we all imagine we talk more
girls miss their smoke when they are pre-
vented from taking it. nor do they ever
en- who love the weed itself They become
irritable and as cross as bears when forced
to do without ii. As ! have a smoking
ROOM / try always to keep it supplied with
the latest goods. There is an importer of
smoking goods downtown who regularly
sends me up all the so newest things for
the same thing done for them, so why
shouldn't |?
My pipe. that is, my favorite pipe for
/ really have pipes by the dozen, was given
me by my eldest brother and has his face
cut into the bowl. You see how beautifully
ii is colOred. and / have only been smoking
il a few months. The best meerschaum
has cloudy. dirty appearance 1t appears
TO have pores in it, and is creamy in color.
The white kind. that which looks like
chalk is very objectionable That was the
kind l first picked out, and
can remember my brothers laughed
at me. | prefer the straight am
Der STEM though the slender curved
stem is the latest for womens pipes. Pipes
with elaborate silver and gold trimmings,
like those in the rack, are to be avoided as
they become uncOmfortaby heated. Why
this room has been full of smokers, both
girls and men. and no one would touch
that rack. The pipes were all given TO
me by women, who bought them simply
because they were pretty and expensive.
Cigarette holders are 10 be had all the
way from these cheap but dainty looking
little affairs of papier mache, with quill
mOuthpieces. 10 the most expensive ones
of gold and silver mounted amber. The
latest are the silver filagree with amber
mouthpieces. You see they are very like
cigar holders. only much smaller. As |
have some friends who object TO touching
their cigarettes and cigars with their fin
gers / bought a lot of these little holders
They are the latest out and are made so
that the little gold and silver ring may be
slipped on the finger and by simply press
ing spring the nirpers Will open and