The Banana Question

The Cineinnati banana case must nol be overlookerl. Gentlemen who closely rescmble the choristers at the opera sell bananas in the stveets of Cincinnaü as they do n the streets of New York. Most of tho fruit offered for sale by these distingnished forcigners rccently has been of a very unsightly appearance, with black at niottled skins. It is a popular belief that bananas so discolored by [rost aro quito as wholesome as sound ruit and scarcely less palatable. A sanitary officer, however, thoughtdifferently, so he arrested one of the fruit vendors and took him to a polico court, along with his basket of black bananas, x make a test case of him. A wholesale dealer in fruit, who prohably had a arge stock of frozen bananas to dispose of promptly appearcd as a witness in belialf of the 'street peddler. This gentleman testified that a discolored skin does not indícate that a banana is unwholosome. Ou the contrary lic contended that a frozen banana is an altogethor dcsirable articlo of food, calculated to promote digestión, invigorate the system, restore the shattercd faculties and benefit tho purse. For if one mau lili himself up on bananas at two for three cents, lio will have no appetite left for more expensive food. Thercupon the peddler passed around his basket, andthejudge, Lhe court clorks and oflicers, the reporters and the louugers each took a black banana, and justice paused while the fruit was devoured, i,ho skins being strewn along the asiles of the court room. Then the decisión was promulrrated that the arrest of the exilo from sunny Italy was a highhandudoutrage, and he was allowed to depart with lii.s empty basket. Uut the sanitary olïicor was not daunted. Within a few ilays he again eutered that court-rooni having in cuslody another swarthy alien who carricd another basket of black bauums. In the meanlime tho ollieer had consulted with a seientilic gentleman, who, when the banana case was called, was ready to testify, anddid testify that frozen bananas are unlit for food; that the freezing raptaros the minute vegetable eells, and the subsequent thawing produces decomposition, generating au xcid which causes derangement of the human stomacli. The hard-hcarted enlprit was severely reprimanded by the stern judge, his basket of fruit was coniiscated, and he was lined $5 and costs. The judge, it will be scen, eagerly accepted the statement of the scientilic witness. Tho proof of the banana is in the eating.