Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-12-25
FEW FACTS ABOUT COFFEE.
Row 1; Came and Conquered all the Ma
tions OF the Earth.

Row IL Came ana Conquered All tne Ce-
uons OF the Earth.
How long coffee was In use among
Eastern nations before being intro.
duced into Europe is not known.
AljSziri Alhambali, a noted Arabic
author, states that it was first made
known about $40 Of the Hegira, and
so quickly did coffee houses and booths
multiply throughout Arabia that the
Government several times made
strenuous attempts to suppress them,
fearing they would lead the people
into idleneSs. Notwithstanding these
efforts, the "coffee habit" took such
firm hold on the people that the bey-
erage was made and drank in secret.
They even went long distances into
the desert and there prepared the
seductive connection without fear of
mOlestatiOn.
Some piOuS MOhammedans thought
it might be included among the in
toxicating beverages forbidden by the
Koran, but Alhambali, in an able
pamphlet entitled "The Support Of
Innocence, proved that 1t was not in
the prOhibitory section of that book.
AS consequence, the followers Of the
prophet once more returned to the
delights Of coffee.
Among the Egyptians it was a IA
vorite drink, but was allowed only
twice a week, in campaigns especially
assembled for the purpose, the great
est solemnity being observed on such
occasions.
II was introduced into CONSTANT.
hOple in the early part of the seven.
tenth century, and writers Of that
time inform us that the inhabitants
of that city drank it as hot as could
be endured, the decoction being as
black as SCOT and, as PurchoS puts it,
"not much unlike it.
A Greek merchant introduced it
into "Merrie England" and thus adj
tertised it. "The virtue Of the cof-
fee-drinks, first publiquely sold by
Pasqua BOsee, in st. Michacls Alley,
COrnhill, at the sign of his own head. "
1t was not long after that coffee shops
became numerous and were extern
sively patronized by artists, literary
men, merchants and politicians Of
note.
As early as 1868 it was satirzed in
England, and on every hand the Bit
tereSt infectiyeS were applied to it by
the press and pulpit. lnOne instance,
a preacher hurled anathemas at the
heads Of those who used as beycr-
age "a syrup Of SCOT and essence o.
old shoesi' Probably he had good
grounds for this statement, having
sampled some boiled coffee. Another
divine denOminated it "a poison
which God made black, that it might
bear the DEVILS colorm The women
also took up the cudgels against IT,
for in 1864 O numer0usly-signed petit
ton presented by them set forth that
coffee made men as unfruitful as the
deserts whence the unhappy berry is
said to be brought; that the offspring
of our mighty ancestors would dwindle
into succession OF apes and pigmies,
and QmOst objectionable OF all sins
In their eycs) "on a domestic message
a husband would stop on the way to
drink divers cups Of coffee"
So many coifcc-houscs spranG into
existence during the reign Of Charles
ii. that he, entertaining belief that
many political intrigucs had their
beginning in those places, issued an
edict ordering them 10 be closed. In
this proclamation the following words
occurred: "The retailing of coffee
or tea might be an innocent trade;
but it was said 10 nOurish scditioD,
spread lies and scandalize great men;
it might also he a common nuisance"
1t was not until 1868 that the
French learned to drink this 'essence
of old Shoes, and it came about IN
this wise; A Turkish ambassador, on
the occasion Of a dinner given TO some
public functiOnaries, served the
seductive drink in elegant proclaim
cups placed on highly-wrought silver
Salvers, and handed to the guests by
richly-caparisoned slaves. This turned
the heads and hearts of those thus
honored and, in q surprisingly short
time cOfTee.drinking became a craze
among the elegants of Paris. -Four
years later that city boosted Of hav-
ing the most magnificently appointed
cOffee-houses, which were patrOnized
BY all the wits and geniuses of that
period, among whom were Rosseau,
BOindin, Dauchet, Saurin and many
other notables.
From there it spread to numerous
other portions Of the earth until now
it is considered an absolute necessity
in all well-regulatcd households, the
consumption in this country alone
amounting tomany millions Of pounds
npr wear