The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-07-18
CONTINUED next weekly
THE FIRST CUP OF COFFEE.
1t Was Probably Made In Arabia About
Four Hundred Years Ago.

In the "Bi~bliothequc Rationale" says
the Copenhagen Nordsger,,sn, there is
a manuscript (near the cn1 of the six
teenth century,, written by an Arab,
Abdelcader, who declares that coffee
was drunk for the first time in Arabia
in the middle OF the fifteenth century.
Others think that certain remarks in
Persian writings imply that coffee was
used i'll Persia rs early rs the ninth cen
fury, but most authors dispute these
texts. 1t is commonly supposed that
the use OF coffee in its earliest home,
Abyssinia, and in its second home,
Arabia, is only five to six centuries
old.
A legend says that the Angel Gabriel,
once when Mohammed was i'll, brought
him Il cup of coffee. Another legend
says that a Mohammedan monk dis
covered that his goats became very
lively and full OF fun after they had
eaten of the fruit of the coffee tree.
This observation caused him to make
the first cup of coffee. His dcrvishes
drank it at night TO produce wakeful-
ness when they kept vigils. Cautious
historians laugh at these traditions and
prefer to stand by Abdelcader's manu-
script. This writer mentions an Arab,
Gemaleddin, a Judge in Alden, who,
while travelling in Persia, or, as the
historians correct the manuscript. to
Abyssinia, saw people use coffee as
medicine. He used it and was cured OF
a sickness. Later. becoming a monk,
he taught his brethren the use of coffee.
1t was then in Alden that coffee drink
ing originated. The fakirs even made
coffee drinking compulsory upon their
ncophvtes. Public coffee-houses or
iginated in Alden and very early in his
tory.
We do not find any opposition to the
use Of coffee until the middle of the six
teenth century. when the Egyptian sui
tan sent 4 new governor, Chair Bey, to
Mecca. This governor knew nothing
about coffee, and was greatly enragcd
when he saw the dervishes in the mosque
drink coffee. He believed that which
they did was contrary to the teaching
Of the koran and that they became in-
ioXicated. He consulted two Persian
physicians, who were opposed to coffee.
They declared it was a substitute for
wine. which is prohibited by the koran,
aud hence coffee drinking was a viola
zion Of Mohammed's law. 10 prove
that coffee drinking made persons ne
glcct religious duties they pointed to
the fact that while coffee-houscs were
multiplying the mosques were empty.
Chair Bcy called a counsel of physi-
clans, priests and lawyers, and on their
advice forbade absolutely the use of
coffee. The police gathered all the
coffee that could be found aud burned
it in the market place. Afterward he
reported TO the sultan what he had done
and received the following note in re-
ply: your physicians are asses. Our
lawyers and physicians in Cairo are
better informed. They recommend the
use of coffee, and ] { declare that no faith
full will lose heaven because he drinks
coffee" About twenty years later a
man in Cairo preached against coffee
and declared that coffee drinkers were
poor Mohammedans. Since then coffee
drinking has been unmolested and it
has become a favored drink every
where.