Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-23
THE PIE HABIT.
Some Comments by . Newspaper In
the Pie Belt.

Some Comments by . Newspaper In
the Pie Belt.
From the Providence Journal.
1t is quite plausible that his diet is large
ly responsible for the New Englander his
crabbedness and obduracy are the natural
consequences Of the Puritans; but three
centuries Of pie eating and cider drinking
have unquestionably filtered additional YER
juice into his blood. There is authority for
the assertion that pie has been a greater
moral and Physical bane to New England
than whisky. One may not be able in sup
pert Of ii 10 point out an instance where.
after eating a quarter section, man went
home and killed his wife. The methods OF
the pie-eater are slower; he Kills with
lingering Iornents, with marrying day In
anu day out the meek. long -suf1ering wife.
MASS Va ilkins has shown IN PEMBROKE
what pllllesS, unrelenting brOwpeater
man can maze of himself through indul-
sence or the PIE habit. Were II not Tor ms
abnormal appetite Ior pies-suggesting TO
his fancy tnat even pies maze from the
Weeds OF The held are edlDle-ene could &C.
CLARE old Cephas impossible. but. having
that appetite, ne IL wholly credible. Iron
jawed Deborah Tnayer, whose unrelieved
asperity WAS the cause of little Ephraim's
tragic e3capaae, was likewise victim OF
this New England vice. Miss Wilkins has
her undergo poetic out eXQuisitely just
punishment, and whether the poor boy aIed
Of his mothers cruelty or or one OF her
cider-cooked mince pies doesn't In the least
affect the meaning of the situation.
Mr.. kipllng IL the last TO remark upon
the gastronUmIc depravity Of the New
Highlander, He told some one in London
the other day that his Vermont home was
on the border of the great pie belt" and
when asked a leading question about the
temper of the people he now lived among
replied, thoughtfully. with: Have you con-
sidered the physiological condition of a
people which eats pie for breakfast. pie for
dinner, pie for supper, and takes swee t.
stuffs between whites? Dyspepsia is endem-
ic. you can't expect anything else" such
a diet 10 VIGOROUSLY unhealthful Accom-
panied by the drinking OF a beverage that
turns the juices OF human kindness to vim
cgar, and Influenced by the climate that
makes brains more than muscle, and
nerves more than either and the action
OF II all upon a constitution singularly ir-
ritable by Inheritance might have been &C.
cUrateiy foretold.
We Rhode Islanders are near the middle
Of the east boundary OF the pie belt. All
New England, all New York state, part of
Pennsy lvania, most Of Maryland, and the
country lying between the northern and
southern limits thus indicated to as far
west as the western boundary OF Indiana.
comprise the American pie belt. In the
hack counties. especially. do the people
serve pie at the three regular daily meals.
and the children, when they can by hook
or crook, eat II at all times. Hot dough-
nuts and cheese are not half such luncheon
favorites- On many an urban breakfast
table the pie still holds its own against the
restrictions OF the doctors and the protests
OF the ventricles, which have to extract
Tom IL nutriment.
Probably Boston consumes more pies than
any other city in the belt. They have there
the largest pie factories. We have here
1t Is not said boastfully-the little brother
OF that factory, which is tantamount To
saying that eaters of what Johnson
called pasty," We cannot occupy any
closer relation than that to Boston's full
grown reputation. They have there a pie
factory that not only stands on patriotic
soil. but one that Is located in an old
church building. And thus the shadow of
Bunker Hill and the shade of Cotton Mather
both help to consecrate this native form Of
dessert-Cottcn Mather doing his part upon
the under crust. which Is doubtless the
essential cause Of its utter indigestibility.