850 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Dec. 



pipe, with grim vows of abjuration in toto for all 

 coming- time of the " evil weed." But, don't go, and, 

 inside of two weeks, purchase a brand-new meer- 

 schum, and a fresh bag- of "Durham's unrivaled 

 smoking-tobacco." Now is the time when the pa- 

 tient chewer of the cud through many long years of 

 winter snows and summer heat is suddenly seized 

 with spasmodic piety, and, with high and virtuous 

 intent, goes out stealthily behind the barn or corn- 

 crib, and, with an arm moved by a mighty resolve, 

 hurls the half-eaten plug far out into the silent and 

 desolate cornfield beyond, returning with high con- 

 science and virtuous breast into the purified atmos- 

 phere of the domestic circle. But, "alas my father!" 

 don't let the dawning light of the new year find the 

 new convei-t crouching low among the tall bare 

 cornstalks, creeping- on hands and knees in diligent, 

 anxious search of the discarded but still precious 

 weed. 



It is now time when the poor victim of the intoxi- 

 cating bowl, roused to sudden inspiration of resolve, 

 takes his last look at the wine-glass, bids a long 

 adieu to corn whisky, and, with moral heroism, 

 " swears off," signs the tee-total pledge, and draws 

 soberly his breath. Now, don't go (in utter surprise 

 at your own powers of self-denial) straight down 

 town and drink to "resolutions." It is now the 

 time when anti-tobacco and tee-total reformers, and 

 hygienic enthusiasts generally, take off their coats 

 and roll up their sleeves, dip their pens afresh for a 

 renewed warfare upon the frailities and imperfec- 

 tions of their fellow-men. It is the grand time all 

 around, of reform. It is the time of year when 

 everybody is "chuck full" of pious i-esolves, pru- 

 dent purpose, and good advice. It is the season of 

 festivals and revivals, and evei-y thing in general is 

 at fever heat. It is time to " get religion," pay ofl 

 old debts, buy new clothes, to inaugui-ate a new or 

 der of things, and to start out in a clean state. In this 

 general moral upheaval of society our fellow-citi- 

 zens generally would naturally be expected to par- 

 ticipate. The hard-flsted, griping old miser whose 

 decrepit, withered hand that palsy shook, grasping 

 th(! yellow earth to make it sure, suddenly relaxes 

 the bowels of compassion— so long shut up— toward 

 his fellow-men; the festive spendthrift in the bright 

 dawn of this glorious day, turning from the gay 

 halls of riotous mirth, would bid adieu for ever to 

 the broad fields wherein he had sown his "wild 

 oats," and settle down to plow his father's corn and 

 plant his mother's beans. The liar, suddenly being 

 filled with the love of truth, would cease to labor in 

 his father's (the Devil's) vineyard. The tatler, the 

 scandal-monger, the " busybodies in other people's 

 matters," the thieves, the loafer, and other nui- 

 sances of society in general, would be banished to 

 parts unknown, and "the places that now know 

 them would know them no more for ever." 



Rockton, 111. Aunt Vic. 



It seems to me. Aunt Vie, your mood is a 

 little sad, especially for this season of the 

 year. I know men do make resolutions, and 

 Ijreak thejii. just as you picture, for I have 

 done tlie same thing myself; but it was be- 

 fore I had learned to say, with bowed head, 

 " God have mercy on me a sinner,"' and be- 

 fore 1 had learned to ask (Jod to help me m 

 keeping these resolutions for the better. Il 

 was before 1 had learned to trust liim, and 

 to rest on him. And now, dear friends, if 

 there are any among you whose heart has 



been touched by the above life-like picture, 

 let me tell yoti how to make resolutions that 

 won't be broken : Accept the Savior as your 

 friend and helper, and in him and through 

 him go to work. Unite yourself with Chris- 

 tian people in their weekly prayer-meetings; 

 tell them of your struggles aiid trials, and 

 ask them to pray for you. Head God's holy 

 word; start out in good earnest on a new 

 life, and you will not fail. I never knew a 

 man or woman to fail who started out in the 

 beaten path according to the Bible teaching; 

 and we have the promise, plain and clear. 

 " Whosoever cometh to me. I will in no wise 

 cast out." May God help poor weak strug- 

 gling humanity at this present season, just 

 before the advent of a new year I 



TOBACCO. 



fHEN shall the kingdom of Satan be likened 

 unto a grain of tobacco seed, which, though 

 exceedingly small, being castinto the ground, 

 grew and became a great plant, and spread 

 its leaves rank and broad, so that the huge 

 and vile worms formed a habitation thereon; and 

 it came to pass in the course of time, that the sons 

 of men looked upon it and thought it beautiful to 

 look upon, and much to be desired to make lads look 

 big and manly, so they put forth their hands, and 

 did chew thereof; and some it made sick; and oth- 

 ers to vomit most filthily. And it further came to 

 pass, that those who chewed it became weak and 

 unmanly, and said, "We are enslaved, and can't 

 cease from chewing it," and the mouths of all that 

 were enslaved became foul; they were seized with 

 violent si)itting, and they did spit oven in ladies' 

 parlors, and in the house of the Lord of hosts, and 

 the saints of the Most High were greatly plagued 

 thereby. 



And in the course of time it came to pass that 

 others snuffed it, and they were taken suddenly 

 with fits, and they did sneeze with a great and 

 mighty sneeze, insomuch that their eyes filled with 

 tears, and they did look exceedingly silly, and yet 

 others cunningly wrought the leaves thereof into 

 rolls, and did set fire to the one end thereof, and 

 did suck vehemently at the other end thereof, and 

 did look very grave, calf-like, and the smoke of 

 their forment ascended up for ever and for ever, 

 and the cultivation thereof became a great and 

 mighty business in the earth, and the merchantmen 

 waxed rich by the commerce thereof. And it came 

 to pass that the saints of the Most High defiled 

 themselves therewith; even the poor, who could 

 not buy shoes nor bread nor books for their little 

 ones, spent their money for it; and the Lord was 

 greatly displeased therewith, and said, " Wherefore 

 this waste'!* Turn now your fields into corn and 

 wheat, and i)ut this evil thing far from you, and bo 

 separate, and defile not yourselves, and I will bless 

 you." But with one accord they all exclaimed, 

 " We can not cease from chewing, snufling, and 

 puffing- in- are slaves! " Nancv E. Ch.vpm.^^n. 



Thank you, my friend ; but if I am not 

 mistaken, the above has appeared in print 

 already ; but as the moral is excellent, we 

 take pleasure in printing it again. In send- 

 ing in any thing that is copied, the writer 

 should always be careful to so state it. 



