The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-05
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BIT JAZZ y. HOUSE.
trreA Philsdeiphia Rshte LsdsAs.l

The Moro or Less Esteemed Radiah.
Sir-One thousand dollars will buy
a couple. of Henry cars and good
many other things. Certainly, it is a
vast expenditure for radishes. and if
actually made, cannot wonder at
your facetious story about them. But
don't you know you are tempting the
ill-will of the gods whea you speak of
radishes so lightly? Originating in
Asia. they have been under cultivation
years at least, which places them well
ahead of Eden. But this is the point:
The Greeks in their sacred offerings
to Apollo in the temple of Delhi al
ways served radishes on beaten gold,
whereas turnips were served on lead
and beets on silver. One ancient
Greek writer thought so well of the
radish that he devoted an entire book
to the subject. Pliny speaks at great
length on the radish. referring espe-
cially to those from Egypt. He speaks
of one weighing as much as forty
pounds
You are quite right regarding pars-
ley, which comes from the Island of
Sardinia, and has been under cultiva-
ton about two thousand years. In old
times 1t was never eaten as a daily
dish, but was served only at the time
English botanist of the sixteenth CEN
fury. however, speaks of it as being
delightful to the taste and agreeable
to the stomacke.' I notice you also
mention the parsnip, which apparently
originated somewhere in North Eu-
rope. We have detailed accounts of
how they were brought down from the
Rhine valley, especially for the EN-
peror Tiberius.
I warn you not to offend Apollo
with any more thousand-dollar radish
stories. p C. s.
Since our caustic reference to the
radish we have learned there are per-
sons who eat the blamed things We
are perfectly cheerful about that. In
point of fact, Pollyanna has nothing
on us. The point we made was that a
We were trying to get the idea across
in our own home. Having spent a
thousand dollars for radishes, none of
which was eaten, we sought to stop
the leak.
But we have no fear of Apollo; it
is women that scare US stiff.
The easiest rule of life is to toIlow
the line OF least resistance, You'll
probably live just as long and you'll
certainly have much better time.
The fact that a heart may be
broken by joy seems to have been
geon. Little remains to be done. If
some one will now tell the story at
which men are reputed 10 laugh
themselves to death everybody can
call 1t a day.
We whittle the point to a sharper
edge. From time to time tales of
those who have laughed themselves to
death litter the desk of every tele-
graph editor. But nobody has ever
thought to send in the story which
precipitated the tragedy
Having read the resume OF the Still
man case in the Sunday papers we
now feel competent to discuss it. But
the conversation won't last long, since
re can express our reaction to it in
& sentence. 1t is that had not Mr..
Stillman pulled ''boner" there would
have been no case for the public to-
discuss.
That is that, What else is there to
talk about?
a 1t is said Mr.. Tex Richards an
Houncement of the site of the Demp-
sey-Carpentier fight is a matter of
know how you feel about it, but we
can wait.
Very properly, we think. the Con-
necticut farmer who was caught
Transporting two quarts of liquor
which he intended to use in treating
his horses and cattle was fined $500.
That is one thing that should be dis
couraged.
We are reluctant to refer to 1t. but
Sunday is the birthday anniversary of
the reporter who writes the column.
Any little thing will do. We value
the spirit which prompts a gift, not
the gifts intrinsic value.
The Radish Eaters.
Sir-While picking on Raphanus
sativus to keep the column pot boil
ing you reveal dietetic strabismus
IT seems that you have been regarding
the radish as a food. 1t is a condi-
ment. True, 1t is also an esculent and
either against it. A man can be a
lawyer, a biped. Presbyterian, an
Elk, a darn fool and several other
things.
Try to remember that "Rap-sat,"
which is an Immigrant from the val
leys of the Yangtse-K iang and the
Hoang-Ho, the seat of the most an
cient of civilizations to which we owe
rice, sugar cane, the peach and the
orange, is to be INDUCED in as a condi-
ment or appetizer. You are not sup
posed to make a meal of it any more
than you are asked to dine on vinegar
soup, mustard tart and pepper pud-
ding topped off with a demitasse OF
tabasco. And, as you have been say
ing lately, that's that.
As a birthday anniversary gift, let
me offer you a clear conscience. You
may have it by returning my copy of
"Jurgen." NORJEFF.
Since the newspapers are the source
of our crackers and canned salmon,
we try to stand by them. But they
go too far when they ask US to be-
lieve Emp Charles is leading his
troops mounted on awhile charger.
George Matthew Adams
MI TIL