The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-10-09
A Lately Discovered Parable, with Sup
plement.

Then shall the kingdom of Satan be likened
to grain of tobacco-seed, which, though ex,
ceedingly small, being cast into the ground
grew, and became great plant, and spread Its
leaves rank and broad, SO that huge and vile
worms found a habitation thereon. And it
came to pass in the course of time that the
sons of men looked upon 1t, and thought il
beautiful to look upon, and much to be desired
to make lads look big and manly. So they
put forth their hands and did chew thereof.
And some it made sick, and others to vomit
most filthiy. And it further came to pass that
those who chewed it became weak and unman-
ly, and said, We are enslaved, and can't cease
from chewing it, And the mouths of all that
were ensl2ved became foul, and they We're
seized with violent splitting, and did spit even
in ladies' parlors, and in the house of the Lord
of Hosts. And the saints of the Most High
were greatly plagued thereby. And in the
course of time'it came also to pass that others
snufed it, and they were taken suddenly with
f:s, and they did sneeze with q great and
mighty sneeze, insomuch that their eyes were
filled with tears, and they did look exceedingly
silly And yet others cunningly wrought the
leaves thereof into rolls, and did set fire to the
one end thereof and did suck most 7ehemently
at the other end thereof, and did look very
grave and calf-like, and the smoke of their
torment ascended up forever and forever.
And the cultivation thereof became great
and mighty business in the earth, and the
merchant men waxed rich by the commerce
thereof And it came to pass that the saints
of the Most High defled themselves there
with even the poor who could not buy shoes,
nor bread, nor books for their little ones spent
their money for it, And the Lord was greatly
dspleased Herewith, and said, Wherefore this
waste, and why do these ones lack bread and
shoes and books2 Turn now your fields into
corn and wheat, and put this evil thing far
from you, and be separate, and dehle not your
selves any more, and will bless you and cause
my face to shine upon you.
But with one accord they all exclaimed
ave cannot cease from chewing, snuf6ng and
pufing-we are slaves !"
SUPPLEMENT.
And it came to pass that the women Of the
land began to use it, and they broke sticks and
made little mops thereof, and with tobacco
powder they did besmear their mouths.
Then was to be seen sight deplorable. Some
it made hypocrites, for they did use it in secret.
Some it made bold by its energy, to use it in
defiance of decency and the wishes of their
friends; and they all did slabber and spit, and
their mouths did show the sign thereof, with
the unsightly dark stain around them, and they
did run their tongues round their lips to clear
them and then they did spit again and their
handkerchiefs were defled, and often: times
their clothes Many grew sallow and husky
and tremulous, and said they were nervous,
and had more trials than anybody, and died
before the time, and bequeathed impaired con-
stitutions to their children, and the world was
cursed by this fashion exceedingly, and sigh
was raised by the thoughtful of the land, for
the hurt of the daughters of the people was
great.
And it was said, what shall be done? Alas'
what shall be done7