The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-12-28
CANNOT SMOKE IN PUBLIC.
Woman Lights Cigarette in Restau-
rant, But Is Ordered to
Desist.

| OOTIy, MISS, out tlSuJ Allowed,
| said the waiter in a restaurant the
other night, at the same time polite
y offering a plate Tor the offending
cigarette relates the New York Sun.
But the Jeweled fingers held it fast
while the bright eyes looked defiance,
scorn and surprise in a glance. Her
escort protested against interference.
| but III vain.
Sorry, sir. but it's one of the rules
of the house." the waiter explained to
the nan, as If seeking moral support
from one Of his own sex.
| The girl shrugged her shoulders and
gave another puff al the cigarette.
Il never heard OF such nonsense!"
she exclaimed, angrily. why, every
body knows that the very best women
in New York smoke"
mot here they don't, miss" inter-
posed the waiter. "If you were with a
party in a private room you could
smoke all you wanted and the man
agement would not be supposed to
know 1t, but in the public dining-room
we'll, it's simply against the rules
and can't be done"
ITS perfectly ridiculous." again re-
mJnstrdted the fair smoker. why,
on the continent"
The cigarette, miss, If you please"
said the obdurate waiter, firmly but re-
specially, and after another defiant
putf and a beseeching look from her
escort, the management and the waiter
conquered.
Inquiry afterward revealed the fact
that such a scene is a not uncommon
occurrence at popular table d'hote res
taurants nowadays. but so far public
sentiment favors the management.
Even in Bohemia n feminine smoker
is never seen in the public dining
room.
The fair smoker must surround her.
self with a sufficient number to war
rant the seclusion of a private dining
room before she can indulge herself to
this degree, While the fact remains
that smoking among New York wom-
en is more or less common practice.
it is not allowed in public as it is
in Europe, ...-....
Not long ago report was made to
the head clerk in the office of an up
town hotel that one of the women
guests was standing at the window of
the public parlor on the second floor
putting a cigarette as If such a pro-
ceeding were quite customary.
The clerk, properly Mortified, at once
went to the guest with polite pro-
test, saying 1t was against all prece-
dent and also contrary to the rules OF
the house to allow ladies TO smoke in
the dinng-room or in the parlors. If
ladies' wanted TO smoke IL must be
done in the privacy of their own apart
ments.
Did the lady make a scene? Not at
all out Simply Wdlheu uONu the udli
to the next room, produced the key and
was in her own suite of rooms. A
moment more and a cabman outside
said:
Look at the lady enjoying her
cigarette at the window
1t was again reported 10 the clerk,
but he was powerless, He could for
bid her smoking at the parlor window,
but at the very next window. which
happened to be in her own rooms, she
was entirely within her right and
smoke she might.
This is a snag which modern hotel
managers are constantly encounter
ing. All hotel maids can testify to
the increase OF the smoking habit
among women. Sometimes a woman
will smoke half dozen cigarettes
after her cafe au lait and before she
actually rises for the day.