The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-28
ROYAL WOMEN WHO SMOKE.
The Tznritsn's order Prohibiting
Smoking at the Russian Court.

smoking at the Russian Court
From the London Telegraph.
AS unexpect edy as i bolt from The
blue came the sad tldings. promulgated
few days ago in court circles at ct
Petersburg. that the gentle and gracious
Tsaritsa 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-for
intimation, reached the Russian danes
ct demoiselles d'honneur' from SO exalted
quarter, was unavoidably accepted by
them as command, and they have sum-
moned up courage to address a humble
petition to Her Majesty entreating her
to revoke request that is practically a
decree. In this prayerful document ihev
have ventured to remind Alexandra Feo-
dorovna that ladies are permitted to
smoke cigarettes at all the continental
courts that among the august female vo-
taries of the narcotic herb, born in the
purple, are the Dowager Tsaritsa ana her
sister, the Princess Thyra Duchess Of
Cumberland, as well as the Princess Henry
or Prussia, born Princess Irene of Hesse
ana the Rhine, own sister to the reign
ing Empress of all the Russias The pc
ution also deferentialy points out that
the Austrian kaiserin and Queen of Hun
gary, Maria Christina, Queen Regent of
Spain, Carmen Sylvia" Queen of Rou-
mania, and the Queen of Portugal, as we'll
as many grand duchesses, archduchesses
and princesses of the blood are inyeter-
ate smokers
TO this category, moreover, belonged
though the Russian court ladies' NAV not
be aware of the fact-the lovely and in
trend Of
Wittelsbach, who took an active part in
the defense of Gaeta, wearing the I'M
dress uniform of one of her husband s
crack infantry regiments, and-especiallv
when under f1re-was rarely seen without
lighted cigar between her lips. Her
younger sister, the Countess of TRAM.
was no less habitual clgar-smoker than
she, and so was the Countess Of Girgenti
by birth an Infanta of SPAIN AS for the
society leaders" and "grandes danes de
par lie monde i'm Russia, Germany. Aus
tria-Hungary, Italy Spain and even In the
realm of Britannia Grundy, their names
Is legion. In the Turkish harem smoking
is even more de rigueur' than in the
Selamlik, for the wives and daughters
of the well-to-do faithful have few recre-
atoms besides inhaling the fumes of vel
low "Jenidjie," or "Kiritschillar" and
nibbling what in the states, is generally
termed ''sweet-truck,' designation i'm
''fondus' and "rahat lakoum"
As far as Christendom is concerned, the
ladies Of Russia are themselves mainly re-
sponsible for the popularity which cigar
cite smoking has lately obtained among
English and German women Of the upper
middle class. The cigarette was first in
PRODUCED into this country at the close Of
the Crimean War by British officers. who
had found themselves under compulsion to
adopt Turkish fashions of consuming to-
bacco seeing that there was not a decent
cigar TO be obtained for love or money
throughout the length and breadth of the
Ottoman empire. Pipe smoking was
strongly discouraged al regimental uesses
forty odd years; indeed, it is scarcely
tolerated at the present day in some of
the "tone-givug' military and noble"
clubs in Germany.
Moreover, chibouks and narghillehs were
not altogether adapted to camp life and
trench work, being cumbersome in them
selves and requiring more skillful and in
telugent preparations than they could Dcs-
sibly undergo at the hands of the average
soldier-servant. SO our gallant Crimean
heroes. having speedily discovered chat
Turkish tobacco was excellent In quality
and moderate In price-it has lost the lat
ter attraction, unfortunately, OF late years
took TO the cigarette with characteristic
steadfastness, and brought il back with
them to their native land when the fight
ing was over and the hurly-burly done 3"
il soon caught on in mess-rOom and club
"tabagiee," but took a long time to effect
secure Judgment In such strongholds
OF the fair as cOnservatorics ana boudoirs
Forty years ago few English ladies'. I'M
less for the time being under the thraldon
of Dan Cupid. could be- induced 20 toie-
rate tobacco smoke IN any apartment up-
on which tRey were accustomed 70 shed