Year: 1874




the pomO-t theological observation that 0od'
doubtless, might have made better frllit
ethan the strawberry, but it Is certain tnat ne
"never did, What would the philosopher
have said if he could have seen some OF our
large and luscious varieties, the like OF which,
for size and sweetness, he certainly did not
have in his own carefully tended garden
Now. when it has become cheap and common,
and inst before its deeadence and disappear
ance, seems to be the time for any moral re-
Elections of which the subject is suggestive.
The career of the strawberry Is lesson oi
the mutabiity of all mundane gories. Inns
fine fruit starts in a very aristOcratlc ana SUD
sides into very democratic state Inc
first comers bring fabulous prices-indiylduals
among these pioneers may have been sold not
many weeks ago for sxpence individually, and
eratifed nothing meaner than millionaire pal
ates, unless they completed the financial rum
Of reckless epicures. Now, wnen we are
getting into the June twenties, strawberries
are cheaper than bread. There are none so
poor as not to have a mouthful OF them
their refreshing, thir5t-quenching, dehcately
acidulous juices are for all. Happy those who
cannot afford to add to them the absurdity OF
sugar smothering and changing their dehcate
sharpness. And he must be pauper indeed
who now can hear them cried with feeling
that his purse forbids their consumption. When
the evening shades prevail many yender OF
the fruit fnds an overstock of this perishable
commodity on hand, ard then fills the even
ing air the wild, despairing wall of STRAW
"ber-eeze! six cents a quartw Alas! great
many of us who hold ourselves at great
price will como down to this degenerate SIX
penny quotation before we die; we who
started fresh and lusty only to exit In
musty and sour condition. How many poll
ticans have fallen to this state, offering them
selves for almost nothing in the vote market,
and with the dispirting self-knOwledge that
they will not keep till the next election day,
which il their tomorrow morning! But we
beg pardon for coupling them with the straw
berry, for that respectable fruit may be
selling for a song, like Millions Paradise
Lost, without having parted with any
original merit save that of rarity and
better is it to be sold and eaten for a very
little money by very coarse mouths, before
becoming utterly stale and musty and "mushy."
We may miss the shOrt-cake apotheOsis of
early June, but it is satisfaction to know
that we may have been of some little use,
though good deal cheapened, before we dis
appear forever. "Straw- ber-eezew ~ The cry
has unique novelty and piquant tone as it
comes to us in the cool of the evening. The
same voice last Fall rendered the neighbor-
hoods resonant with its slogan of "Aus-teers"
These delcacy -mOngers make wild havoc of
DR.. Webster's prOnunciatiOns, but great
many of the transactions of this world go on
in defiance of grammar and dictionary.


In bidding the strawberry farewell, as soon
we must there is o mythical virtue which it
is said to possess which isn't mentioned in
Brownies Vulgar Errors, but which may be in
teresting to the Lady Crusaders of our own
day. A strawberry placed in the bottom of
glass enables the drinker to drink therefrom,
it is said, ad Hbitum, without inebriety. Our
opinion is that nobody should try the expert
ment. Very potent men have been over
thrown by the investigation. To the sherry
cobbler the strawberry is considered whole
some addition, but too many sherry cObblers
will produce the old result all the same, in
spite of the strawberries. The whole excellent
race of berries should be taken out of this bad
company. During the bistering and broling
days, they are much1 better refrigerators
than the best of beer, much better than
even mineral waters sophisticated with
thick and cloying sirups, better than heavy
meat diet, keeping our feshly furnace fires
at full blast when they are, not needed. For
q good deal of work in this world it would
be vain to train upon fruit food beef. for
instance, may be the properest diet of your
md fro p,ov haat
ish French dancing masters. We must still
be indebted to the oxen and the sheep in De-
cember, and keep up combustion by cOllops
and sirloins; but it is In the Summer that
we feel least our animal nature, and may put
a little refinement into the selection of what
we call our "daily bread"-a phrase which
means great deal, whether we dine at Del
monicO's OF in q coffee and cake shop.
Somehow we cannot but feel, without worship
ing tho shade of Sylvester Graham,
that there is something moro of nicely and
purity in vegetable regimen. Probably our
original ancestors did but small kitchen work.
though the ancient lady's passion for fruit has
cost us not a little. And of fruits, berries
whether straw or rasp, or humble whOrtle or
the shining black-are among the pleasantest
to the eye and mouth. And so when we must
bid the reigning delicacy farewell, we will
welcome its successors, and as we swallow the
coming, bid the parting guest goodbye thank
ing it for the good it has done in rescuing
insolvent Sunday-schOOls from debt and hop
ing that its successor will do a like Christian
service.


1t is extremely gratifying to note that in China
n woman may grow old and remain unmarried with