The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-12-06

ly speaking, 1t is about eighty-hve per cent starch, and is, therefore, most nu- tritous. For about three thousand years it was practically the only food of the Eindoos; but do not think, ad- am, that l mention this as any dlspar- agement. For all I know the Hindoos may have been very choice and even iinicky in what they ate during those three thousand years, and really pre- ferred rice; even insisted upon having it. Perhaps you have a little sugar. A little saccharine intermingled with tie starch of the cereal makes it just bit more palatab,e, and even this is heigh- tened if the whole is smothered in good rich cream.
 I'm sorry, but we haven't either su- gar or cream in the house."
 "Oh, no apology Is necessary, my good woman. l merely mentioned them. It is really no matter. We have no record that the Hindoos had anything what soever to eat with their rice. l am al- most certain they took it straight You see the Hindoos-but I must not take up your time with these benighted children of the jungle. Let us pass rap-
 
 From the time of Confucius down to Ii Hung Chang the Chinese have subsist- ed upon rice--with an occasional pull at the opium pire, Through cycles and cycles of time has the rattle of the chopstcks been heard, and 1t has al- ways been rice-rice-rice; steWed rice, boiled rice, rice always, rice ever; rice till you can't rest. And yet the Chi nese have grown to be four hundred million soulse, so to speak. Perhaps 1t was the mice. Chinamen, you know, are nightly fond of mice, no matter how the same may be served Now, for my own part. never could care for mice in that way, Could you?
 Ugh! the ideal"
 Certainly not, madam. I might have known that your delicate taste would revolt at the mere suggestion. And yet the Chinese, who were passion ately fond of rice, looked upon mice as even more of a delicacy. To be sure, it may have been the cheapness of rice which caused it to appeal to the all mond-eyed Asiatics, as it did, and as 1t does. There are few things in the veg- etable world which reproduce and nlrl- tiply themselves to so great an extent, One bushel of ordinary rice will repro duce itself to the extent of eighty bush els. Think of it! And in our new ros- sess 'ons. the far Philippine Islands, there is variety of rice which the great Admiral Dewey says raproduces itself r-hundred- fold An, madame, our peace commissioners are right. There is where we must strike for the open door, Think of it! Rice that re- produces itself four-hundred-fo -fold!" Tt is. And when we consider the mere nothing that labor can be hired for in these rice-growing regions-a cent week is large wage--the cheap ness of rice as food product becomes at once apparent. You have no cream, I believe you said?"
 No; I'm sorry.''
 Don't mention it, I beg of you. I might go into the statistics of rice and appall you with the countless millions of bushels and carloads of it that are sent to our shores, where it is eaten by people who profess to like it."
 With his most precious bow he hand ed her back the cup of rice, untouched
 You are not going to eat it, then?''
 "No, thanks If you had had a piece of the aftermath I would have been pleased to tackle some of the white meat of that But rice--I draw the line right there If tramp Chinaman comes along I would advise you to give 1t to him.
 And he bowed himself out of the gate. l-Trenton Times