| Show MYSTERIES OF THE TEL TEA TRADE it in perfectly astonishing to what enormous the trade in to tea a has hab grown lo in the civilized world since gince the shrub first became known in europe through travelers in eastern asia aela even in tale united st states atell that by no means has baa she be first position on the list lift of tea drinking countries the yearly consumption to is estimated at considerably more than seventy call lion pounds a year at an early stage of the history of abe beverage a great deal was said bald and written against it to drink it wal wa designated a base unworthy indian practice one medical writer of the eighteenth century asserted that its jb effects are not dog lose leas destructive to the animal economy than opium or some other drugs which wig we have learned to avoid others ascribed to tea the growing amsire for intoxicants dr is quoted as baying that tbt the rise of the pernicious curium of intoxication Is a oft often owing to the weakness weak nesa and debility of thin abe system brought on by the dasiy dalty habit of drinking tea abe trembling hand band stake seeks a temporary relief in some cordial I 1 in order to refresh and excite again the enfeebled whereby per r sons almast necessarily fall into to a habit ot of intemperance S another author asserts that by if to use nien men seem to nave lost their stature and comell comeliness nere mud and women their beauty pt f notwithstanding this vigorous opposition we the consumption of ton tea continued to increase and enormous fortunes were made by the handling of the little dried leaves it ought to be of some inter interest tat to tea drinkers generally to know a tact fact or two about the manner in which theartic the arti cle is in prepared for the market in the large warehouses warehouse of china travelers tra velera who are fortunate tortu nata enough to receive pA admission mission sometimes behold sights of auy anything thing but an edifying nature the statements of mr prank frank G carpenter lu in a recent letter to this the NEWS are important enough to be referred to again he cited such V ware are houses bouses at bankow just outside one of tue largest establishments he saw is a hal bal bahou coolie who was picking out of the seams or of his gown burtalo unmentionable little creatures and a moment later this same coolie with his hi oars oare feet teet was standing Dg in a box ot of tom tea treading the leaves wita all his bis might in order to pack them closely for shipment to england A doxen other barefooted cooles were r similarly imil a aly engaged in other boxes the weather being warm the perspiration streamed own their yellow skins in little rivulets rod anil of course partly went with the leaves to the british consumers in abnot another ner part of the establishment a lul jut of 0 girls were picking over and sorting leaves according to grade their nuy leet feet were covered wit biti a second krade leaves that they had thrown down into the bankets below them thane statements need no comment to be lully fully appreciated the fact is ill that they convey but imperfectly an idea of the dangers ta health and life imported and dearly paid for under the name of tea even if the leaves them elve weri were birtness harm leu ncr DO poison injurious louri oua to the human system the knowledge that the dried artole article ll Is flavored as related above aud ome times even worse woree ought to be sufficient euffe to convert the most skeptical kept loal to a firm arm belief in the word of wisdom |
