:826 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Nov. 1. 



leisurely while they eat their crackers and 

 cheese— perhaps taking 15 minutes to drink a 

 single glass. In this way they feel little or 

 none of the intoxicating effect; while if a whole 

 glass or more were poured down into an empty 

 stomach it would produce at least a little intox- 

 ication. Our cousins from across the water 

 have been so much accustomed to their way 

 that they would not only regard it as pretty 

 hard, but unkind and uncourteous, if they could 

 not come to the World's Fair and do as they do 

 at home in their fatherland. Now, I am not de- 

 fending the sale of beer at the grounds of the 

 World's Fair, nor on any other fairgrounds. I 

 am simply suggesting that we ought to take all 

 these things into consideration when we act, 

 and go forward in our temperance work with at 

 least a kindly and charitable spi/it. 



It seems to have been the intention of the 

 managers of the World's Fair that the princi- 

 pal part of the eating and drinking, as well as 

 all sleeping. should be done outside of the gates. 

 In fact, there is not room inside. And in this 

 line I would have tried, had I been one of the 

 managers, to make these foreign friends feel 

 that it was not so very unkind after all to ask 

 them to drink their beer outside of the grounds 

 if they must have it at all. While beer was 

 five cents a glass, lemonade was 10; soda water 

 10 also, and with ice-cream 1.5. The only five- 

 cent beverage besides beer and milk was orange 

 cider; and the orange-cider stands were patron- 

 ized to such an extent that, on Chicago day, a 

 great many stands sold out entirely— could not 

 get enough. During the afternoon 1 saw a 

 great string of people. It was in the form of a 

 circle, starting from a refreshment-stand, and 

 going out in a great big loop, coming around 

 again to the stand. It was formed of people 

 getting in line so as to get their turn in getting 

 orange cider. They did this thing at the Ferris 

 wheel, at the ticket-offices, and many other 

 places where there was liable to be a dispute 

 as to whose turn it should be to be served 

 first. The multitudes had, it seems, adopt- 

 ed it, deciding it to be the only fair and 

 courteous way; and these loops ot humanity, 

 during the days of the greatest rush, were an 

 amazing spectacle. It rejoiced my heart to see 

 them; and in the light of our text I believe it 

 was GocVs work. In this way women and chil- 

 dren, as well as great big stout men, must take 

 their proper allotted place in waiting; and 

 nobody seemed inclined to make'' might right." 

 In fact, these exceedingly nice people- the 

 Columbian Guards— would have interfered if 

 big peoole, presuming on their bigness, had 

 undertaken to be selfish. The Columbian 

 Guards are good -sized men— that is, they are 

 tall if not large around. They are supposed to 

 be tall enough to look over the crowd and see 

 what is going on, and they will tell you any 

 thing you want to know, with the most pleasant 

 good nature, even if a line of people stands 

 waiting for a chance to put their questions. I 

 was asking them for information almost con- 

 stantly, sometimes waiting for my turn, but I 

 did not hear an uncourteous or uncivil reply 

 while there. 



My talk to-day must, necessarily be rambling, 

 and I want to digress a little here. One of the 

 first things Mrs. Root did was to lose her silk 

 umbrella. wShe left it in a closet. One of the 

 guards, however, told us just what to do; and 

 next morning when we presented ourselves at 

 the "Lost and Found Bureau," and described 

 the umbrella, the officer in charge put his hand 

 on it instantly, and handed it to her. Did any- 

 body ever hear of having a lotof officers employ- 

 ed to pick up things people leave around with- 

 out their names attached, and deliver them 

 safely, before? It is the same way with chil- 



dren. On Chicago day, I am told, seventy little 

 friendless wanderers were taken charge of by 

 the bureau devoted to this pui'pose. They 

 were fed and amused, and catechised in regard 

 to their parents, until said parents found out 

 about the '• Lost-Children Bureau," and came 

 after their " property." 



But I have not got through with drinks yet. 

 Enormous quantities of orange cidir were used 

 up. People laughed at me v\hen I maintained 

 it was genuine I told th< m I had S( en heaps 

 of cull oranges at Riveiside, Cal.. almost as big 

 as a meeting-house. The only use made of 

 them was to get out the seeds by machinery, 

 and use the steds for raising seedling stock to 

 be grafted. I sobeily assure d the incredulous 

 that this orange cider was made of these refuse 

 oranges: and in difl'erent pans of the grounds 

 you might have heard the venders of orange 

 cider saying. " Oiange ciderl absolutely pure 

 juice of oranges from Florida." As I looked at 

 these men 1 did not think it possible that they 

 could so unblushingly tell an untruth. Pretty 

 soon I heaid another vender say. " The only 

 pure oiange juice sold on the grounds!" and 

 then some other vender took up the strain and 

 said his was the only absoluti Ij pure orange 

 juice. To cap the climax, a frii nd of mine who 

 runs a chair told me that an Oberlin student 

 was offered a position at good wages; but one 

 of the conditions was, he was to tell the great 

 crowds that the orange cider was absolutely 

 pure orange juice, while he and all the rest of 

 the officers knew perfectly well that it was 

 manufactured at that very time, right under 

 their eyes, every day. right on the grounds, as 

 fast as the public demand required it. Thank 

 God there was at least one Oberlin student who 

 would have nothing whatever to do with such 

 a business, no matter how much pay they offer- 

 ed him. Now, I did not start this paper with 

 the view of complaining. I made up my mind 

 to accept what I found at the great World's 

 Fair, and do very little criticising; but in the 

 name of the government of the United States, 

 and in the name of the great God who made us 

 all, and who made us brothers, even though the 

 wide seas separate us, I do protest against this 

 awful untruth; and to the officers of the 

 World's Fair, or whoever else permits this 

 thing to go on unreproved. I call them to order, 

 and ask them if they can hold up their heads 

 and look an honest man or woman in the face 

 while being a party to this thing that should 

 make every citizen of our country blush and 

 cry out for shame. May God help us if we 

 have got to such a pass that this thing can be 

 carried on publicly and unblushingly. If orange 

 cidt r is not orange cider at all, but something 

 manufactured from chemicals, how about our 

 tea and coffee, our butter, our maple sugar, and, 

 finally, our honey ? 



Ever since this thing was told me, I have 

 been wondering whether it were not a mistake, 

 and that some real orange cider has been 

 brought from California or Florida. I am told 

 there is not a drop of real orange cider offered 

 for sale in our land; and yet the so-called stuff' 

 is to be purchased in every little town, and at 

 almost every refreshment-stand. God forbid! 

 How can we teach our children the grand 

 truth that stands over the arch of the peristyle, 

 •' Ye shall k\^ow the truth, and the truth shall 

 make you free," and then admit to them that 

 all the orange cider sold on that great fair- 

 ground is not made of orange juice at all— no, 

 not even while the venders vie with each other 

 in making themselves hoarse by insisting again 

 and again, with all the vehemence that long 

 practice has taught them so well, that it is 

 pure orange juice when they know it is a vile 

 falsehood ? The excuse has been urged, that 



