The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-26
CASTE IN TOBACCO.
Confession Of an Uxorious Man who
Has Abandoned the Cigar.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: For
years I smoke nothing but cigars. y
decade ago I liked only the mildcr
brands. Later on ] came TO prefer
! rather stanch Havanas. and these l
smoked until last Christmas. when ]
realized I was losing caste.
I saw by the advertisements In the
newspapers aud magazines that not MY
the smart set but also diplomats. base
hall magnates II einale i%mpersona-
tors were either rolling their own or
Smoking Jimmy pipes, and that, espe.
=, cially In the army and navy. the rolled
cigarette had superseded all other forms
of tobacco enjoyment.
| remember preparing for n function
nj the armory one evening last month.
Quite innocently I filled my cigar case
with IIavanas. My wife discovered my
indiscretion IN time TO save me from
considerable Embarrassment
"Will you never learn she demanded.
showing me a full page advertisement
OF u Rear Admiral and a B~rigadier-
General who were deftly rolling cigar
cites while they chatted.
50 for several days afterward ! at
tempted to master the delicate art or
| rolling cigarettes. AS "A result most OF
the room in the house were sprayed
with smooth. mellow tobacco there was
n lTall OF II ITOfH telidI " at'i', .
found myself continually mislaying
| pouches, bags and tins containing the
various brands upon which | expert
mented. So / decided to quit. 81 am
a creature OF habit ] said to my wife.
For thirty years ! have smoked the
lowly plebeian cigar which l admit has
now become the solace of the bour-
gcoIsie only. But 1t IL too late for me
to change now. If there is to be peace
IN the family you must permit me TO
go on as in the past. ! will drop IN
occasionally at your bridge whist
parties: ] will continue TO treat your
SOCIAL service friends with Difference ;
| VIII even accompany you OCCASIONAL!
TO "A matinee. But for these inortifica'
tons ! must have the privilege Of smok-
ing the passc cigar"
But she wouldn't have 1t so. II am
surprised at your obstinacy," she said.
u you wish to te ostracised by the
best society? If you don't care about
II, I do. You have several eccentricI-
ties already that are quite noticeable.
You won't wear spats. or n neck
scarfs or white hose. or tortoise shell
nose glasses. OFF,
Enough" ] interrupted what Is II
you want me TO do?"
Merely this she answered. "If you
Won't roll your " cigarettes you must
learn to smoke n pipe. To-day the pipe
~ almost as good form as the rolled
cigarette. There is no other form OF
tobacco enjoyment now recognized by
the best society. You ought 20 know
that IL you read the newspaper and
magazine Advertisements
But" I argued. II know many hns
men who smoke cigars"
That may be- she replied but let
mo ask you a plain question Among
them can you name an author, actor,
artist. playwright or impresario?"
Alas could not.
well. then she concluded, well
compromise. Give up cigarettes. IL you
wish, but learn to smoke a pipe. You'll
do II for my sake. won't YOU. dear"
What could | do? yielded basely.
following in the footsteps OF many an
other man whose wife has been cursed
with social aspirations.
To-day | am smoking a pipe, a Jimmy
pipe | hin it Is called.
But ! can find no tobacco that suits
me. | have given al. the advertised
brands a air test, but they are too
mild. too innocuous. When II was my
privilege e. smoke cigars l did not
average more than SIX Il ddS, AID these
| smoked after dinner. To me- a cocktail
before and "A sttn.h Havana after dinner
are about equally - muliiing and are 10
W" enjoyed NaiA nearly the same degree
of moderation. What care ! FOR the
n.i and harmless pipe tohaccos that an
invalid can smoke all day II all night
without rarching his tongue, provided
We can keep awake and his supply OF
matches holds out.
What | want Is a smoking tobacco
with "A biIe. u strong. fragrant tobacco
( from which no natural property has been
extracted. e tobacco that IS warm and
I~nvlgprdtius. hot cool and mild
Il may he that the demand for such
a tobacco - somewhat limited. for no
brand OF this KIND IL even remotely
limited a. In the advertisements in the
weekly and monthly magazines. But.
nevertheless, the demand exists. From
ANaiu' 70 California there are thousands
Of men who feel as ] do upon this I'M
Nortant question.
lmpatiently. bat with abiding faith
We await tn" blessed day when some
heucftctor of the human race shall place
ui'or IN" market a tobacco with a rare.
fragrant and natural bite. a tobacco such
rs was smokcd Ivy the sturdy settlers al
his country In the days before the tango
: master, the upliit"r and the paci;ist were
known, - tobacco that shall warm the
cookies Of the heart and bring back
pleasant memories Of the men who were.
NLBANY. March %. SlMo CrEEi.