Graham guardian., 1910-06-10
A SPRINGTIME JOY
Important Part Played by
Rheubarb in the Happi-
ness Of People

Not long ago a man walked saw
agely into his home, maliciously up
set the chairs in his way and brutal
ly kicked the cat through the oper
window. He ignored his wife wher
she spoke kindly to him, growleo
like bulldog at the children ano
looked Indignantly at his grand
mother.
Send for some rhubarb," said
the aged woman, speaking softly.
The next morning that family had
rhubarb sauce for breakfast. There
was rhubarb pie for the MONDAY
meal and rhubarb sauce again at
night. Two days later the same
man sat with his arm clasped low
ingly about his wife and the children
played at his knee. Every now and
then he leaned over and affection
ately kissed his grandmother.
Rhubarb comes along at this sea-
son of the year like gently spoken
benediction. By rights it should
precede the mustard greens and the
hog jowl. When we have plenty of
rhubarb we may dispense with the
sassafras tea. Rhubarb even takes
the place of sulphur and molasses.
The latter mixture is for children
when they are very young and en-
tirely helpless. Grown persons in
psoossession of all their mental fac
wulties and the free use OF their
limbs do not take it. Not if they
see it first. They could not be in
duced to take it, yet they prescribe
liberal doses of it for the little ones.
Being busy at something else nearly
all the time. the humane officers do
not always interfere.
The head Of the family should
take sulphur and molasses in the
spring, no doubt, but who wants to
handcuff and gag him to administer
the remedy? 1t must be admitted
that there is nothing alluring in the
taste of sulphur and molasses when
they are mixed together. 1t is
much better to feed him rhubarb,
which he takes with grateful
smile, hte result being precisely the
same.
Rhubarb is the natural enemy of
the divorce lawyer, and it taken
freely at this season of the year it
assists in giving the overworked
physician much-needed rest. 1t is
poison to his practice, but that is
all. Without rhubarb we are handi-
capped and unable to appreciate all
the beauties of the glorious spring
time. Until we have had our share
of it we are inclined to worry when
;. we should warble.
In the light of the foregoing facts
it is not difficult to understand why
the London physicians say rhubarb
is not beneficial as food or medi-
cine. Perhaps the subject came up
for discussion at a meeting of their
medical society.
lows your practice?" asked one
eminent physician of another.
Rotten, Hi must say" replied
the other practitioner.
Only few of us can know the
low estate to which physician has
sunk when he is forced to admit
that his practice is not good. He
is staring starvation in the face
when he does SO. When the admis-
sion is general among physicians we
may know that the public health is
extremely good and the death rate
so low that the cemetery associa-
tions think of going out of business.
HI think this blarsted rhubarb's
to blame. don't ye know" suggest
ed another doctor.
Thereupon the London physicians
make an attack on rhubarb, which
in this country would have amount
ed to capital offense. Being one
of our fundamental institutions,
closely allied to our theory of life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness,
no such attack can safely be made
on rhubarb in this land of the free
and home of the brave.
1t is fortunate for London that
am not there now, spending large
sums for oil paintings fresh from
the smokehouse and otherwise help
ing to building up the metropolis
X as so many of US do. should tel
- the London physicians what think
of them and then take the first
steamer for home, provided | hac
the price of steerage ticket.
should take fast boat, think, tC
get back in time for the rhubarb
pie season.
Some glory should attach to the
Chicago physicians who are stand
ing up for rhubarb. Their course
indicates that they are filled will
righteousness as well as rhubarl
and in no way allied to the lawyers
l. ~. ~