Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-02-10
Sugar a Modern Commodity.


history of sugar recently contributed 10
foreign periodical an article whose facts,
in condensed form-Americans like
breyity-will equally interest readers in
this country.
Il is difficult to imagine that Il COM
modify which seems at the present day
almost indispensable, was unknown in the
early ages. In ancient Greece honey was
the substitute. The word saccharum oc-
curs but once in the Latin translations of
The Bible, and the equivalent for our "su-
gar is first found in Pliny.
"The Romans says the famous au-
thor, "first became acquainted with sugar
in Arabia Felix, but the Indian is bet
ter" He terms it "hOney collected in
reeds.
Lucan, in his description of India,
speaks of the sugar, whose sweet juice
was eaten in five different ways, and Sta
tins in his account of the Saturnala.
mentions among the viands flung by or
der of the Emperor Domitian among the
populace this food, boiled from Elosian
reeds. Elosia was provence OF Ara
bia, and this food was sugar.
Among other ancient aud classic wri-
tiers Dioscorides speaks still very igno-
rantly of sugar "lhe name Of sugar was
given to honey produced by reeds with
out bees" while Strabo says; "They
make the honey, produced without bees,
which somewhat resembles salt
Arian, in his Circuit OF the Red Sea"
also aludes to the sap which flows from
the reeds and is thickened, and Seneca
speaks of the use of burned sugar in the
dishes prepared by the Indians and
thinks that they spoil the teeth.
The first sugar canes are said TO have
been brought to Sicily in 1l4S, whence
they were carried to Spain. About 1908
the Spanards brought some plants TO the
Antilles, and in the seventeenth century
large plantations were set out by immi-
grants. The cultivation Of this plant in
creased to such an extent that, in 1779,
Jamaica alone produced 100000 hun
dredweight: and the crop of all the Is
lands, estimated each hogshcad at e15,
amounted to s9,000,000, but in 1894
S20,OO0,O00 worth Of sugar was received
at Hamburg alone.
The prevalence Of coughs and colds at
the present moment reminds me Of the
fact that it was cough which was main
ly responsible for the immense amount OF
bloodshed that attended the coup d'etat
whereby Napoleon III obtained his
throne
That Inscriptions but brilliant ad-
venturer, general, and afterward Field
Marshal de st. Arnaud, had charge of
the military operations. But he was un-
willing to assume the direct responsible
ty of ordering the troops TO fire upon the
people, being not altogether certain as to
the result of Napoleon's memorable en-
terprise.
When the moment for action arrived
and the mob began TO show signs of
sweeping aside the troops, the brigadier
generals under his order sent an officer
to him at headquarters to ask him what
they were to do, whether they were to
fire on the populace or give way.
Strangely enough, St. Arnaud was
seized at that moment with a violent fit
of coughing, which lasted for several
minutes. Finally, when it ceased, the
general just managed to gasp the words,
"Masacree tour" (my cursed cough.
The officer having waited until the
general had recovered bis breath repeat
ed the question. Again St. Arnaud was
seized with a violent fit Of coughing,
which terminated, a on the previous oc-
casion, with the parting exclamation Of
"Jfasaerec tour ?"
The officer was no fool he could take
a hint as we'll as any one else, and salut-
ing be left st. Arnaud's presence. On
returning to the brigadiers and colonels
who had sent him for Instructions he was
asked what reply St. Arnaud bad made.
"The generals only words and COM
mands were massacre tous massacre
everybody"
These commands were obeyed TO the
letter, and many thousand people were
shot down and bayoneted in consequence.
Scott Leighton was sketcbing landscape
near Poland Springs, Ne, one day, when
he found dilapidated-looking man gazing
over his shoulder at the canvas.
"HumPh !" calculated the visitor, more
in scorn than in interest as he gazed at the
embryo work of art, what do you paint
them for-the MARKET"
8ya- - said Mr. TeightOn