The Washington weekly post., 1900-03-27
TECK UlED GARTERLESS.
And al Because He 0Hce Annosed Her
Majesty with His Tobacco smoke.
From Lnndon Letter.

From Lcnion Lstfsr
The Duke of Teck was a great smoker.
and seems TO have been privileged 20
smoke on all occasions. and even In the
houses Of his iliustrious relations when
other guests had to Be most strict In
their conformity 10 the rules OF tobacco.
1 myself have seen the Duke Of Teck
driving through the Strand, accompanied
ey The princess. his wife, and by the
Grand Duchess Of Mecklenburg-Schw
pulling furious clouds from a huge cigar
between his teeth / have also seen him.
on the terrace of Marlborough house.
standing amid a group of hiE royal high
ness relations Of both sexes, not only
smoking, but the only one smoking. In
deed, It II sad that this habit ot his for a
cigar lost him the Order of the Garter,
which he very nearly received at the time
OF his daughters wedding.
There had been family dinner al Wind
sof, and the Tecks were present and had
also been invited to sleep at the castle
The rooms assigned TO the duke and
auchess we're in close vicinity TO those Of
Ter majesty. Now. the queen never was
lover OF tobacco. Her late husband
Was not much OF smoker. She was
brought up In an age when tobacco never
came near lsdy's drawing room. and
certainly remained very far from her
ooudolr Her sons, the Prince OF Walrs
ana his brothers. are all smokers. but il
IS STATED that they never smoke in their
mother presence. except in the oDen air
On the particular night Of the family
dlnner mentioned above. after the queen
had retired 20 bed. and when presum ably
she had made7tD her mind that Francis
OF Teck should be told the following
morning at breakfast that he should hay e
the garter. she suddenly detected the
smell Of smoke. Her majesty at once
touched the bell beside her couch
Who dares TO smoke in the castle?" ex-
claimed the Queen
The two bedchamber women vazed at
the great old lady with fear and amaze
ment, but they were soon ordered 70 find
out and for the nexAfew minutes there
was dreadful commNion in that partic-
ular corner OF Windsor Castle.
There was ringing Of bells. tramping of
sentries. rOusing Of deputy assistant
chamberlains from their beds, a hastv
summoning of the lord high controller of
the hous hold. and a scurry into garments
on the part of equerries and deputy gold
and silver sticks in waiting. The Queen
smells smoker' was banded from mouth
10 mouth. Tobacco smokel' At last the
smell was traced-and definitely traced
to the apartment occupied by his hignness
the Duke and her royal hiehneSs the
Duchess of Teck. The lower court Off
cials, such as equerries and chamberlains,
scarcely Ventured to hammer at the ducal
door. But the grand controller of the
household did venture to knock, and he
hammered with such effect upon the pan
els that the Duke of Teck himself opened
the door. attired in pajamas somewhat
short in the ankle, and awful TO relate, a
short briarwood pipe in full operation
clenched between his teeth.
His highness looked surprised naturally
Then he asked what was the matter, and
the chorus of royal myrmidons yelled
Tis the pipe, your highness, the pipe
Her majesty smells smske"
But the next morning, when the Prince
Of Wales ventured 10 remind his royal
mother Of the Duke of Teck and the garter.
he was peremptorily silenced with: mo
Bertie. no. | am very angry with h m He
woke me up with his awful tobacco And
the Duke of Teck has died garterIesst