COURT LADIES' CIGARETTES.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 74, 24 September 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

COURT LADIES' CIGARETTES.

The Berlin correspondent of the Daily Telegraph learns from St. Petersburg that many of the ladies of tho Tsaritza's household are terribly upset by a requestequivalent, of course, to an order — made by their exalted and charming mistress, to the effect that they should discontinue the practice of smoking" cigarettes in her presence. It is not easy to throw up cigarette-smoking even at the behest of one of the sweetest women in existence ; and ladies find it more difficult to give up such physical pleasures than men, when the reasons given for doing so appear to them to be inadequate. The fair sufferers have, therefore, drawn up a petition to the Tdaritza praying that she will recall her dreadful ukase. The petitioners have pointed out that ladies are permitted to smoke cigarettes at all the Courts of Europe, that amongst the crowned heads and Princesses of the Blood Royal who smoke they can mention the Dowager Tsaritza and her sister, the (late) Empress of Austria, the Queen of Roumania, • the Queen-Regent of Spain, and the Queen of Portugal — all of whom are inveterate smokers. Above all, they venture to point out that the illustrious lady who is most devoted to the fragrant perfume of the narcotic herb is Princess Irene, wife of Prince Henry of Prussia, and Her Majesty's own sister. The ladies of the Imperial Court are anxiously waiting to see if their august mistress will relent.