The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-12-27
a 8aa B abit.

and to reform which, like many other
things, must be the work of time. How
easily acquired yet how hard, Ito get
rid of IA bad habit There is one portion of
this splitting affair, however, which deserves
every execration, viz: the outrage commit
ted upon n fine carpet or hearthrug. What
Trudeness and yet We witness it daily. A.
COW hide--no, nor culg,l won't cure this
listemper. Wonder what the showing
such slovcnly people to the door would ef.
feet , even sensible, intelligent men are
guilty of this-what then, can be expected
Of interiors;?
But hear this lady, the talented Mrs. Eli
zabeth Oakes Smith, upon. the odious prac-
tico alluded " -
The habit Of splitting is probably one rea-
son why the Americans are SO meagre in
person. They spit themselves to death, and
then talk wonderinSly about our climate
swell the numbers Of those who Gle of con-
sumption, and look like scarecrows during
the period of their natural life. Women
and girls rarely spit-frcm an instructive
sense of its indelicacy-but men look sol
emu, talk grave aud spit, just as we close
paragraph in our editorial with period.
Boys, rs soon rs thoy are installed into
broad collar, spit. They practice in order TO
do this well-shooting forward the body
and the under lip, ill they become masters
of the art, and able to hit spittoon at the
greatest possible distance.
II splitting innst be done, the pocket
handkerchief is the only legitimate medium,
and this can be used III manner as little
obvious to the spectator. as possible. Those
who have this habit in1eterately established,
should carry an extra handkerchief, that the
ono wisely kept for show" may DC as litlle
Objectionable as possible.
Seriously, our secrelions, if healthy, are
never offensive, and never in undue quanti-
ties; the habit of casting the saliva from the
mouth, causes an extra secretion, which
must in its turn be elected, and thus nature
Is seriously taxed to- supply the waste-the
gums shrink-tlie teeth fail-the throat is
parched-bronchitis first, and finally con-
sumption, or some other decay Of weak,
organ, comes in to close the scene.
An Arab would run man through who
should presume to spit in his presence
The bird never spits, the toad squats to the
earth, aud the serpent secretes saliva as q
deadly poison. II we weep psssionately, the
saliva is bitter--it is pungent and scanty in
the action of the baser emotions, while love
renders it sweet and abundant. The saliva
is associated With our whole animal econo-
my, and follows closely on tie action of our
minds sy,npathetically, and intimately with
all its moods.
Sensitiveness incines us to swallow down
our saliva, while disgust disposes US to spit
it out. The scent Of roses moistens the lips
more than the tongue; lemons cause the
mouth to be filed with saliva. The sight oi
one hateful TO us dries the mouth, while, ON
the contrary, one who is agreeable moistens
lit. Hence those who weep much have not
only dry lips, but All acid mouth.
There is u beautiful philosophy in all this
and those who waste the secretions bv spit.
ting, lose not only the action of those glands
but unquestionably weaken the sensibilties
associated with them. Slow us n man who
spits, aud you show us a man Of uncertain
characteristics, and one whose sensibilties
are not to be trusted. DO away with spit
toons, and nature will do her work more
genially for man-she will beautify him
whereas row she is obliged TO be continually
patching him up"
Without doubt. this is all true, and its
equally true ofl,abit being a second nature.''
it is also true ofinan being the only animal
requiripg stinulants and to be, by some.
on account Of his false position; by others.
that he is naturally so--and tho highly
scientific DIR. Buchanan favofs the latter
idea. Now, which Of these opinions is
rightl Or, are they both right and both
wrong2
But stay. The amiable writer above
quoted seems to hazard a middle opinion
between the two extremes. Verify, if the
bare removal OF q spittoon would care aii
odious. nay, periirious habit, it would very
soon be accomplished. But the old notions
Of bygone dogmas are sti!l prevalent
namely, that we can like and dislike just
as wo please. Now, who likes the iaste of
that execrable weed--tobaceoi There is
nothing pleasant about it; the very hogs
despise it. Yet man puts iuto his mouth
what esn swines refuse! Ii the lowering
of mans high dignitythus could be so easily
icured, wouldn't it be soon set about in real
earnest
! But not so. Must we have legislative
enactment, too, ike that about whiskey
drinking. to cure--no. not to cure. but 10 at
temp to cure the evill Speaking of stimn-
lants-- we know a gentleman who, while
a IA