Watercress v. Tobacco.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 25, 4 May 1870, Page 7

Watercress v. Tobacco.

The value of -watercress as a substitute for tobacco has been extensively assorted in the press of this colony, and therefore we feel no hesitation in reprinting the following letter which appeared a few days since in a Grey mouth paper. The writer, “An old Smoker,” says ;—“ I heard some days ago that watercress, after drying in the sun for two days, was a perfect substitute for tobacco, without its possessing the deleterious and deadly poison of the latter ; and further that it had all the flavor of the best Cavendish. So, sir, having for soine months past expended weekly the sum of two shillings on my friend and fel-low-townsman Mr Hunter in tobacco, I resolved to sacrifice all personal feeling in the matter as regarded him, and to procure a substitute that did not possess ‘ deadly and deleterious poison.’ Having procured a quantity of very excellent watercress, I possessed myself of a tea-tray, much to the annoyance of my better-half (who afterwards told me that I must be a fool to believe all that was said in newspapers), aud upon this tray I carefully strewed the watercress, and allowed the same to be exposed to the sun for two days, carefully placing it under cover at night. Ou the third morning, I found the cress leaves quite dry and curled up, being delicately tinged with the exquisite brown so well known to all lovers of ‘ Honeydew.’ ‘ Now, Mr Hunter,’ said I to myself, ‘ don’t expect to have any more of my custom, nor indeed the custom of anyone else, when I make the success of my experiment known to all and sundry. No more of your “ pure leaf of Virginia.” Away with the twist that cometh of Barrett. Down with your “ Golden Eagle,” your “ Abram’s Bosom,” and all your other brands. lam sorry for you, Hunter, but I am not going to spend any more two shillings a week.’ Then I made my dry cress into a bunch. With my knife I cut as much as would fill my pipe, and with my two palms I rubbed it up fine. Then I filled the bowl, struck a lucifer, applied the light, took a long whiff, and—Oh, ye gods ! Nothing more horrible was ever inhaled into the human mouth, or exhaled more hastily. Smoking asafeetida, I am quite certain, would be fragrantly delicious in comparison. Nevertheless I was courageous and persevering, and I took in all about a dozen draws. Then my tongue and throat became dry and parched—l felt dizzy in the head, and bad a horrid taste in my mouth, I never felt more disgusted with myself. I rinced my mouth out with water, but the taste was not to be removed by so simple an application. I added brandy, but though it was a trifle more efficacious, it did not perform a cure. I had the same strong inclination the young lady expressed in her song to. ‘ Lay me down and dee.’ In about three hours, nature resumed its sway, and my palate returned to its natural state, I write this, my experience, that other people may not be deluded into believing all the fine substitutes, antidotes, cures, recipes, and remedies, for all sorts of ailments, which find admission into the columns of newspapers, I enclose a sample of the watercress tobacco, which you are at liberty to make a trial of on your own account. May your feelings in making the experiment differ considerably from mine,”

Horrible Murder of a Father. A. man named Belliere, aged 33, has just been tried at Beauvais (Oise), for parricide at St. Germaiu-la-Poterie. The accused, who was of a most vicious ■ and depraved character, entered the army at 18, but three months later was condemned to six mouths’ imprisonment for misconduct, and subsequently to five years in. irons for mutiny, and finally, in 1857, death for striking an officer. His punishment was, however, commuted to fifteen years’ imprisonment, and in 1b65 the remainder of his sentence was remitted. He had/scarcely returned to civil life when he was sentenced to thirteen months’ confinement for acts of violence, and to an additional term of two years for flinging a bronze candlestick at the judge’s head in the court-house. On his release he led an idle and dissipated life, making himself a terror to his family and to the entire neighbourhood. Being at length driven from home, he resolved, in revenge, to murder his parents, and then to set fire to the house, so as to burn the bodies. On the night of the 24th October last he piled a quantity of fagots against the thatched cottage; ttye father on hearing a noise came to the door, and the son stabbed him to death, then trampled on the body, dragged it away by the feet, and threw it behind a hedge. The wife of the murdered man, however, succeeded in escaping. He was shortly after arrested, and acknowledged his guilt with revolting cynicism, expressing regret that lie had not succeeded in killing his raothei also, as she would now be able to live in peace. Being condemned to death, he was led away from the dock without manifesting the slightest emotion.

A conference of British Mormons, at which fifteen elders from Salt Lake City, and presidents of various Mormon societies in existence in England, attended, was held at Birmingham in January. It was announced that the British Isles now contained 10,000 followers of Brigham Young.