The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-10-17
cowsoYs' TOBACCO.
United states Laws Play HaVoa WIZ
the Weird Mixture.


cowboys have been ieYoiuuoniZeI ~
an innocent looking little pamphiS.
issued recently By the government. Ia
contains the analysis OF various plou
nos that are in general use, anu
among them a popular brand OF sm Iab
tna tobacco which comes in 1tt'o
sacks. and is popular throughout ~. ,,a
Southwest When Jim" Beitora Sa ~
IN from his ranch to get his man ,ne
other day. he found this pamphlet IN ms
nostoalce box. says Ugade tTeX'l cor,
RESPONDENT of THE Kansas CITY S'a'
II had been sent to him by ms oiu
friend. Major More Harris oi S
Antonio, Deputy United States ih'e, Ia
revenue collector for the district ma.
ior Harris had written upon the iioA'
leaf Of the pamphlet: -, =,
This will tell you what KIM VI
stun we have been smoking.
Bedford took the pamphlet over "
the store and glanced through II "niie
his order for ranch supplies was pein
filled. Under the heading OF the Drahu
of tobacco which was smoked by al
most every man in this region us an
alysis was given as follows; Topaeeo'
q percent; alfalfa, SO percent; arsenie,
6 percent; opium, percent; huia'
percent.
Could IT be true that he had been
smoking alfalfa-to say nothing Vi
arsenic and opium? He read the an
alysis over a second time. Then ne
arose and walked over to the eounlel
where the storekeeper was wrapping
up the goods he had bought.
bill, put me up about three pounds
Of alfalfa, mixed with arsenic ana
opium and a little tobacco thrown In
he ordered.
bill" stared at Bedford in amaze
ment.
whats the matter Of you, Jim? You
know don't keep any of them things
on sale, except tobacco" he said. i
did have a few bales Of alfalfa hay
here last summer, but 1t did not pay
me to carry it, so quit.
"oh, yes, you do sell all OF them,
and you have got them in stock right
now" Bedford quietly replied.
The imputation that he did not
know what was contained in his stock
of goods angered Jennings, and the
outcome might have resulted some
what seriously had the argument been
pursued much longer.
81 want you to read this document"
Bedford said. IT'S from Washington
and is official"
Jennings read the tobacco analysis
and announced forthwith that he did
not believe a word of it. It took Bel
ford some little time to convince him
that the analysis had been officially
made and must be correct
What am going to do with all the
stun have on hand?" inquired Jen-
nings.
Judging from the amount of alfal-
ia in It, It ought to make good cattle
feed" Belford suggested. you'll be
in luck If you amt mobbed by some of
the cowboys when they hear that you
have been selling them alfalfa and ar
senic and other things in the guise of
tobacco"
The first thing that attracted Bel
fords attention that evening when
he rode up to his ranch corral was a
bunch Of his cowboys sitting upon the
board gate, each with rolled cigarette
in his mouth and the strings of a to-
bacco sack hanging out of his hip
pocket. They were the very picture of
contentment as they poured the
wreaths Of smoke from their mouths.
Belford rode up in front Of them and
silently looked them over for a min
ute. Should he break the news to
them? Would It not be best to let them
continue in ignorance of the kind of
stun they were smoking? Then he
thought of the arsenic and opium,
and decided to tell them about 1t.
You are a nice set Of hayburners."
he said, by way Of beginning.
The cowboys looked at him in sur
prise.
IT'S wonder every one Of you. and
me along with you, have not been 10.
coed from using arsenic and opium"
he continued.
The cowboys we're aroused by this
time. They demanded to know what
he meant by his insults.
Il mean that that tobacco which
we've all been smoking is mostly Al.
falfa. arsenic and opium, and I've got
the document here to prove it."
MI. Belford then read the analysis
OF the tobacco from his seat in the sad
die. When he had finished the cow
boys solemnly threw away their cig.