Smoking in the Presence of Women.
THE woman who does not require of a man the form of respect, invites him to discard its substance; and there is one violation of the form which is recent and gross, and might well be cited as a striking illustration in the decay of manners. It is the practice of smoking in the society of ladies in public and in private places, whether driving, walking, sailing, or sitting. There are preux chevaliers who would be honestly amazed if they were told they did not behave like gentlemen who, sitting with a lady on a hotel piazza, or strolling in a public park, take out a cigar, light it, and puff as tranquilly as if they were alone in their rooms. Or a young man comes upon the deck of a steamer and blows clouds of tobacco smoke in their faces without even remarking tobacco is disagreeable to some people. A man when he unconcernedly sings false, betrays that he has no ear for music; and a man who smokes in this way shows that he is not a gentleman.—Harper's Magazine.