THE HEYDAY OF THE SMOKER.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12868, 21 September 1904, Page 4

THE HEYDAY OF THE SMOKER.

The great revolution in the custom and circumstances of smoking is emphasised by a writer in a London paper, who points out that before the Crimean war, no well-bred man would think of being seen in the daytime in a fashionable part of London with a cigar in bis mouth, while to suggest smoking during the enjoyment of after-dinner claret would have been a grave offence. A story is told of a distinguished foreigner who lately told an English host that lie dined long ago with his host’s father, who begged him during dessert “not to hesitate to go into the square outside if I would like to smoke.” Formerly, says the writer, smoking-rooms were badly-lighted and evil-smelling apartments, which were never aired. .Desperate visitors have been known to retire to their bedrooms and blow the smoke up the chimney, and many shillings have been earned by butlers for the use of the steward’s room or pantry. Clubs tor a long time offered every discouragement to smokers, and even now at a famous political club smoking is only permitted in the front hall at stated hours, while at another club, smokers have to climb to the top of the house to enjoy their smoke. Most clubs, including even those devoted to ladies, only preclude smoking in one or two rooms. Tlie modern liberal views with which smoking is regarded, are largely duo to feminine tolerance of the habit, and the fact that smoking among women has increased largely. In a celebrated case twenty-five years ago counsel endeavoured to make capital out of a lady’s habit of smoking, but the Judge overruled him, and told the jury that, in his opinion, Ihe smoking of cigarettes was no worse than the sucking of lolly-pops. There are now few dinner-parties, says the writer at which cigarettes are not accepted by the ladies, who confess sometimes that they have to go without this form of indulgence. Smoking among servants has increased greatly, also smoking among children, some of whom, in the wealthier classes, indulge in the habit with the consent of their parents. A well-known Scotch nobleman confessed to an American that he had smoked at the age of eleven. “That’s nothing at all,” was the reply, “X guess I chewed at six.”