Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-07-21
FABLE.

senator Harding makes 1t q prac-
tiee to present Ave dollar gold piece
to al children named after him. But
a man with middle name like
Gamaliel isn't going broke that way.
Now 1t came to pass that after
laughter and song had departed from
wandered home late Saturday evene
ings to spend the Sabbath beating
their wives, that they who had dried
up the country took counsel with
themselves.
And they said: Surely the breath
Of man Is clearer and his mind is
less set upon vain things. But still
he smoketh."
And their warfare against tobacco
went forth in the land. Tobacco. ;"
said they. must go for all save
medicinal purposes"
And, behold, legislatures bent to
their will and 1t was even as they
had said. Man no longer smoked;
neither did he drink. And they who
had done this thing took counsel
(emong themselves Verify praise of
the Lord is in the mouth OF man and
nothing else save food and soda pop.
We thru our mighty works have
partly saved his body. Let us con-
tinue, until he is completely enamel
pated from the evil that besets him.
Behold the automobile; 1t keepeth
man from church on the Sabbath: 1t
draweth him far afleld from the work
that should be his.
"Gasolene," said they, must 60,
for all save medicinal purposes"
Then they, having become skilled
at bending legislatures to their will,
did even as they planned. And no
more motors went abroad in the land
and gasolene came down in price. but
there was no cheer in that for it was
useful only for taking spots out of
clothes.
Then did the reformers OF mankind
look upon their work and rejoice. yet
their Joy was not complete for other
evils thrust themselves before them.
Cast your eyes," quoth they. up
on the theater, In these places of
darkness and sin man spendeth hours
in vanity and frivolity. Away with
them for behold they are even as
the saloon Of unblessed memory"
And the obedient legislatures did
even as they had said and the thea
teys were no more. but were changed.
some into libraries which were care
fully censored and some into lecture
halls where only the chosen were
permitted TO have voice.
Then was the cup OF those who had
reformed the world nearly full. but
they looked upon the thrills and fur
bellows and upon the silk collars and
panamas with which humanity
adorned itself, and straightway or
dered the legislatures to declare fair
rainment of sinful vanity and to
order that henceforth clothing be
worn merely as covering. And 1t
was done;
Then went man abroad in sack
cloth and his body feurished and
was made almost perfect, yet his
mind failed within him from endur-
ing the weight of continual serious
ness and conservation: And he was
even as his forefather, the caveman,
but the caveman had no memory OF
lighter days.
And being reluctant to bring chill
dren into SO fine and antiseptic a
world, man began to vanish from
the globe And In a thousand years
only one remained and from the
place to which they had been
gathered, the reformers applauded
him for he spent his days in urging
katy dds to abandon their late
hours. And until the day of his
death, he drank not neither did he
smoke, nor chew but remained In his
own place avoiding frivlous amuse-
ments and clad simply but substan-
TALLY in gunnysack: So parted the
last of humanity, reformed out OF ex-
istence.
Most Of the joy IN the present
seems to be found in thinking what a
good time we had in the past.
Still let US not complain. Think
how regretfully we're going to look
back toward the present in the fu-
ture.
Austraiia's New Capital.
Australia is going to have a new
capital The Prince of Wales has
visited the country and laid the cor
nerstone. Work is proceeding rap
idl,- Rut the strange mart of the