New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-14

From The London Telegraph
AS unexpectedly as a bolt from the blue"
came the sad tidings, promulgated a rev days
ago in Court circles at st. Petersburg. that the
gentle and gracious CZarina would be greatly
obliged to the ladies OF her household If, for the
future, they would forbear from smoking cigar
cites in her presence. This unlooked-ior lhti-
nation, reaching the Russian danes ct deTnol-
selles d'hOnneur' from so exalted a quarter. was
unavoidabiy accepted by them as command,
and they have summoned up courage TO address
a humble petition to Her Majesty. entreatinS
her to revoke a request that is practically a DE-
cree In this prayerfu document they have ven
tured to remind Alexandra Feodorovna that
ladies are permitted TO smoke cigarettes AT all
the Continental Courts: that among the august
female votaries Of the narcotic herb born in the
purple are the Dowager CZarina and her sister,
the Princess Thyra Duchess Of Cumberland as
well as the Princess Henry OF Prussia, born
Princess Irene OF Hesse and the Rhine own
sister to the regnng Empress OF all the Rus
sias The petition also defercntially points out
that the Austrian Kaiserin and Queen Of Hun
gary: Maria Christina, Queen Regent or Spain;
Carmen SYLVIA Queen Of Rumania and the
Queen of Portugal. we'll as many Grand
duchesscs, Archduchesses and Princesses OF the
blood. are inVetcrate smokers
To this category. moreover. belonged though
the Russian Court ladies may not be aware OF
the fact-the lovely and intrepid eX-Queen OF
Naples Marie Wittclsbach who took an ac-
tive part in the defence of Gaeta. wearing the
undress uniform Of one of her husbands crack
infantry regiments. and especially when under
fre-was rarely seen without a lighted cigar be-
tween her lips Her younger sister. the Coun-
tess Of Trani. was "A no less habitual cigar
smoker than she and so was the Countess OF
Girgcnti, by birth an Infanta OF Spain. AS ior
the society leaders" and "grandes danes DE
par e monde in Russia Germany. Austria
| Hungary. Italy. Spain. and even in the realm
| Of britannia tirundy. their name is legion In
the Turkish harem smoking is even more de
rigucur' than in the Selamlik, Tor the wives ana
daughters Of the wcll-to-dO Faithful have few
rccrcations besides inhaling the fumes Of yellow
| "Jcndj6" or "Kirtschillar." and nibbling what.
in the States. is genercally termed sweet
truck "A designation impariially applied 10
candy" 'pralincs." "fondus' and "rahat
! lakoum."
| As far as Christendom is concerned. the ladies'
Of Russia are themselves mainly respons be for
the popularity which cigarette smoking has
! lately obtained among English and German
| women Of the upper middle class. The G garette
was first introduced into this country at the
close Of the Crim"an War by British officers,
who had found themselves under conpulsion 10
adopt Turkish fashions Of consuming tobacco.
seeing that there was not decent CIGAR TO De
I obtained for love or money throughout the
length and breadth OF the ottoman Empire.
Pipe smoking was strongly discouraged at regi-
mental messes forty odd years ago. indeed. It
is scarcely tolerated at the present day IN some
OF the "tone-giving military ana noble CLUBS
in Germany
| Moreover. chbouks and nargies were not
: altogether adapted to camp life and trench
/ work being cumbersome i'm themselves and re-
curing more skilful and intelligent preparation
/ than they could possibly undergo at the hands
a.
Crmean heroes. having speedily discovered that
Turkish tobacco was excellent IN quahty ana
| moderate in price-it has lost the latter attrac-
ton unfortunately. Of late years took TO the
cigarette with characteristic steadfastness, and
/ brought it back with them 10 their native land
/ when the fighting was over and the hurly-
hurly done" II soon caught in messrooms
and club "tahagics" but took long time 10
effect "A secure lodgment in such strongholds OK
the fair as Conservatives and boudoirs.
Forty years ago few English ladies. unless for
L..tt dor no a u
MD could be- Induced 10 tolerate tobacco smoke
i'm any apartment upon which they were accus-
/ toned To shed the light Of their presence. IL
/ was their pleasure to taboo the cigarette. no
less vigorously than the cigar and pipe, from
dining room and drawing room alike. In Rus
sa on the other hand. it was even the custom.
/ sanctioned and encouraged by the great Boy
| arms "qui faisaient la pluie IT IT, beau temps,
in Muscovite fashionable society that the golden
I nlamcnts Of I.cvantine tobacco. heaped up IN
costly Tula bowls or del'catcly encased in slen-
der paper tubes bearing the then unrlvaled
brand Of "Iaferme." should be served with the
after dinner coffee. often the hostess, desiring
TO confer special distinction upon some favored
! guest would roll cigarette for him with her
own dcft fingers and even hight 1t before hahu-
ing To him.
! The closer intercourse between the aristocra-
| ces Of Russia and Central Europe, brought
| about during the last three decades bv the stu
pcndous Developments OF international cu''Wu-
| nications has undoubtedly in great measure
| furthcrcd the acceptance of the cigarette as a
! social institution by Enelishwomen of the ilrst
flight" II seems a little hard in the year "t
| grace 1895 that the Of this harmless soda
tive or stmuant-fOr tobacco Is Ellted WIN tno
duplex faculty of soothing ana exciting Shouio
| IT,. prescribed to the ladies Of the CZarlnas
! household who represent the fine fleur OF Rus
sian female society.