Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-04-27
Some Notions Of a Quiet Person.
From Hearth and Home

any one might take dark views, it should
be physician, for when people are well
and happy they let him alone.
My doctor suddenly exclaimed: L
should like to bring up family of chill
dren.n
Nothing easier, DOCTOR" began to say,
referring more to the attempt than to its
success, when an expression on his face
checked me. l knew the history which
| had darkened life to him, and driven him
TO forget himself and live for Others.
No." said he, mot that; but L should
like to try if ordinary care and common
sense might not save children from so much
suffering and make them better in mind
and body
Well, doctor, suppose you give me some
rules, for though / have not any children
to bring up just now, yet the knowledge
might not be amiss."
ooh! I" said he, " have no code of laws !;
no rules; 1 only have certain notions as to
what is best. As, for instance, in such q
climate as this, would dress child warm
ly, with good, comfortable garments. Not
those flimsy little things they call sacques,
or something, but well fitting garments
and 1 would give them good milk,
which should furnish material for bones
and teeth. And not too much sugar which
turns acid too readily, and which furnishes
heat but not nourishment.
And when the time came for more solid
IOOut 4 WOulu uOU SIaTNe them OH Supernne
hour-all very well in its way, only ii does
not give all the material they want. Many
a child is cheated out of bones and teeth by
being denied coarse flour, corn-ineal, oat-
meal, and the coarser food which help on
the teeth and bones.
"And my children, especially girls, should
have their clothing not only warm, but
well fitting and easy. Boys are not so much
abused but girls have little freedom of mo-
ton. Their shoulders are tied down, and
their waists are screwed up, and just when
they are growing and need expansion they
are cased in bony castings, which stiffen
them up and take away both elasticity and
ease.
at is not mere question of taste; it is
a matter of health or disease, of comfort or
suffering, of life or death. In order to per-
fiction, you must have full development.
Imagine race horse with his head check
ed up like many of our carriage horses.
Support? No; they don't want sup
port. How is it in the book of Job? Thou
hast fenced me in with bones and sinews.'
That does not imply any special need of
support.
"They should keep early hours, secure
quiet sleep, if possible, and should not he
waked if could help it, AS we stop eat
ing when we have enough, so with healthy
sleep in pure atmosphere, we stop sleep
ing when we have sleep enough.
Many child's brain is stimulated, espe-
cially in these days of gas, by having a
bright light in the room after it has gone to
rest
zone word more my children should
not be tilted up on heels. 1t is foolish
enough in older people-merely for a fash
ion. If that had been the proper way to
walk, we should have had bone growing
down on the heel, or walk on the end of
the toe like horse.
Miss T caught her heel going down
stairs and:fell, and was disabled for weeks.
| wonder if she ever thought she brought
it upon herself and ever repented of the
needless care and trouble her sister had in
waiting on her.
but as l was saying, it is positively
painful to me to see the little slender an
kles of children, rolling this way and that
on little points of heels. They hardly can
wear them straight, and it is so thoroughly
unnatural"
"Well, doctor,n said /, "your children
will be terribly mortified if they can't dress
like Others"
"Never mind; will try to console them
and make it up in some other way. When
it is a matter of conscience, / can't give
way.
"Well, they shall have regular meals, and
they shall not eat between meals the
stomach. must have rest. have seen chill
dren who are eating all the time / have
heard of digging ones grave with ones
teeth
(which reminds me they shall brush
their teeth at night, and go to bed with
them clean. If there is no chemical action
going on at night the day is not of so much
Importance. And they shall never sleep
at night in single garment worn through
the day. If the clothes are to be worn
again, they should at least be aired.
"And / will try to teach them the bene-
fits of cold water. / am not precisely a
| water-cure' man, as you know but have
great faith in water People talk of tonics,
not half knowing what they mean. One
of the best tonics i know is to drink some
cold water before breakfast. 1t seems to
give the stomach tone and vitality, and set
| it right for the work of the day.
"And they shall use it for bathing. OF
course, one should never be chilled; but /
| think there is sort of electric power in a
dash of cold water. If you are weary, a
dash along the spine, especially the lower
part of the back, is like shock of electrici-
| ty, and restores the nerve power like the
sleep of hours.
"Also, and it is not small matter, will
teach them to shut their mouths You
may laugh, but it will be better for their
| lungs, better for their teeth, for their stom-
achs and their brains. And / would have
them lie in such position at night that
| the mouth shall close. 1t would save many
dry sore throat, as well as other ailments.
This is almost enough. My daughters
shall not take long, weary walks but shall
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