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ADULTERATED

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Feb 21, 1906

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 8.

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ADULTERATED.

WITH sawdust food they sapped his power; They fed him chalk instead of flour From bright glue-jelly dieting He got coal-product flavoring. Straight from the can he used to eat Prepared and ptomaine-seasoned meat; And when he thirsted he would sop His throat with nitric acid pop Tastefully dyed with aniline And labeled "Good as Genuine."
When in despair, he turned at length To liquor to revive his strength, 'Twas fiery logwood claret first He swallowed to decrease his thirst, Then multiplied his visions queer By bitter salicylic beer, Adding to this a long highball Of prune-juice and wood alcohol— The jug he carried down the line Was labelled "Good as Genuine."
No wonder that his lips were blue, His eyes were of a codfish hue; That thoughts were poison or inane Within his imitation brain; That both his morals and his talk Were undetermined as his walk; That in the guise of truth he spent False logic and false sentiment— Nourished on sham, the man within Was NOT as "Good as Genuine." —Selected.