The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-05-13

They recently had a spirited debate
N indiana on the relative merits Of pie
and Ice cream. and the latter won out.
but that y not hard to understand. The
debate was largely attended by young
people Of both sexes and 1t IL easy to
| understand why young men should fail.
IN the presence Of all the pretty girls.
to reiegate to the second place 2 deiicscy
20 dear to the youthful feminine heart.
To place pie above ice cream. at this
season OF the year. h little better than
sacriiege TO the mind Of a school girl.
| We note. however. that a New York
professor Of something or other has writ
ten vigorous communication to the New
York Sun In which he contends for the
supremacy of the frozen delicacy over the
entire family Of pies. Among other argu-
ments used he contends that Ice cream
is recognized by the medical profession
az a powerful aid in the treatment Of
several diseases Then he asks. as a
settler: Ibid pie ever cure disease?'
| Perhaps that ought to settle it, but IT.
doesn't. We have nothing to do with
the medical phase CT the question. but We
might retort by asking this professor II
he has kept up with the number Of deaths
caused from eating Ice cream. to say
nothing OF the many narrow escapes and
internal Heterogeneous caused by in
diligence in this luxury? And II pie has
never cured diseases 1t has. as a conten-
porary remarks. ''cured the hunger OF
4 .u1,
generations past" though that Is limit
| ing Its services too much. IL 1t had READ
| Through countless generations 1t would
| have been nearer the mark. 1t is hardly
probable that Eve made pies In Eden, for
she had nothing to make crust Of. but We
are persuaded that as soon as men began
| to raise grain and crush II into meal
| they made pies They couldn't heip II.
Having dough made up for baking and
all kinds of fruit at hand people couldn't
| help mixing the two together and thus
manufacturing some brand OF pie. And
1t is equally probable that meat pies were
among the early inventions.
| Be this as it may. and leaving out all
questions of antiquity, 1t Is beyond ques-
ton that pies are among the universal
| dishes among civilized people, and are
eaten and relished by millions OF people
who have never heard Of ice cream, and
who wouldn't know how to go ABOUT eat
ing 1t. What would feast In the country
be without pie? Whether 1t Is log
rolling, or corn-shucking, wedding or an
extra Sunday dinner there are pies
| among the delicacies, and the country
housewife would feel herself discredited
| IL she failed to have one or more varieties
i on the table when the preacher came.
1 Granted that pies are sometimes badly
constructed, and that some brands OF
them are indigestible-may not the same
objections. and often to greater extent
be urged against bread? Granted, also.
that the pie we get at the bakers may
be composed of unknown ingredients-is
not the same true. not only Of hash, but
of various kinds of bread and cake? Pie
can't be dlscredited by such arguments as
these. That 1t sometimes causes violent
internal disturbances and connections Is
true and that overipdulgence is hurtful
is also true. but the like argument ap-
plies to everything We eat, and cannot
be used as a means OF downing an edible
more dear to the american heart and
stomach than any one article Of diet ever
put on civilized table.
And, speaking of pie, we are reminded
of a little war experince which may not
be without interest. The soldiers bill of
fare, especially towards the close Of the
war between the States, was not varied
one. More frequently than otherwise 1t
was limited to very small ration OF
bareback and poor beef or sow-beliy.
| But on one occasion one Of our mess
had raided an orchard and found a
quantity OF hard winter apples. Some
OF us were pining for pie las the heart
panteth for. the water BROOKS" and it
was unanimously moved and carried that
we were going to have an apple pie. and
our cook, who thought he could make
anything, set about 1t. There was not
an ounce of sugar or butter to be had,
but we did have sorghum and lard and
tallow. and the cook turned out a large
pan full Of what he called apple pie.
Nothing like 1t was ever seen, before or
since, in all probability. but every morsal
of it was eaten and pronounced excellent
Some of us dreamed of home and
mother, and some dreamed of a quite diff
ferent place, but that was the only in
convenience. so far as we now call to
mind. 4.
This Is merely an episode. introduced
to show the Unsuitable demand tor this
particular dish, and doubtless many other
Confederate soldiers can remember some
what similar experiences. And we doubt
IL We have a single reader who cannot
go back to the very starting point of
memory and remember how dear to his
youthful heart was the pie that his
mother. or the old colored cook made.
They cling to our recollection along with
the first pair OF pants and nothing that
has happened during after years can
drive them from the memory. Ice cream
is all right as a sort of side issue, but pie
is one of the necessities of life.
The Fredericksburg Va.) Free Lance,
also has a poet of its own. The Nor
folk Landmark calls him "a modern