Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-08-04
Saoies' Department.
SLEEP: AN EXPLOITATION
THEREUNTO.
BY GAIL HAMILTON.

ness, ana general success IN lie, is
Sleep do not know whether we shall
be able, as Matthew Arnold says. to
"hit it off happily with Solomon. 1t
is, perhaps, not quite easy to tell ex-
actly what he had in his mind; but if
he meant that people should try to cut
down their sleep to the smallest posi-
BILE allowance, it may be superhuous,
but it is certainly irresistible. to re-
mark that do not agree with him. But
he probably did not mean that. He
certainly would not be likely to differ
from me.
The necessity of sleep, it may be ad-
mitted, is disagreeable necessity. To
turn aside from all the pleasures of life,
from the sweet Consciousness of exist
ence, to give over thought and love and
memory and hope-all plans and pur-
suits-and go down into forgetfulness or
inconsistencies, is, or seems to be, an
unspeakable loss. = 1t is a death, tenn
porary, but imperious, and ever-recur-
ring. Yet 1t is SO universal, so gradu-a
al, so natural, that we yield to it not
only without dread, but with delight.
In the silent splendor of star-lit nights,
which seem to put us on brotherly
footing with the whole universe, in the
blackness of nights that know no star,
when we seem to be standing alone in
the solitude of eternity, life is too fasci-
mating, and we begrudge a moment lost;
but even then, without will, against
will, the heavy eyelids droop, and, all
unhindered, the sly soul slips away in
to some remote recess of the brain to lie
in ambush for the rising dawn and the
strong new world.
If we could have been made to get
along without sleep. l should like it bet
ter, but sleep we must, why should we
quarrel with fate ? Our ancestors,
stanch men in many regards, have yet
done the world harm by their indiscrim-
mate abuse of sleep. One would think,
to read some books, that slumber was
an invention of the Evil One, to be re-
pressed and snubbed continually. On
the contrary, sleep comes nearer being
a panacea than any pill or potion ever
concccted. We do, indeed, yield to the
truth of history SO far as to tell children
of beauty-sleep, and bid them go to bed
early; but we forget all about it in the
morning, and stimulate them to early
rising. Indeed, ignorance and folly
sometimes 60 so far as to awaken chill
dren for the purpose Of getting them up,
which is just not murder in the first de-
gree. Lay it down as the rule of fami-
ly life that nobody is to be walked by
external means. There may be extra
violation of the rule. If the house is
on fire, and hand and steam engines fail
to extinguish the flames, sleepers must
be aroused; but even then begin with
those nearest the fire, and bestir others
only as the danger advances. suppose
it is absolutely certain that when man
has slept long enough he will wake Of
his own accord.
The time at which sleep is taken is
of less account than the amount of Sleep
If it can be had in darkness, doubtless
that is best; but sleep by daylight is q
good thing too. Some people take cred
it to themselves for accomplishing much
before breakfast, but after breakfast yol
are constantly finding them mapping OF
the sofa or nodding in the lounging
chair. What superior virtue is there il
sleeping by installment to sleeping il
the lump? Some people are called laz,
because they take nap after noon
day dinner; but the efficiency of thei
waking hours is sufficient justification
for their midday repose. Sleep an,
where and every where is good Minis
tiers complain if here and there a mem
Der of their congregation grows drowsy
but as | look around and see the hard
working men and women, all clean ant
fresh and smooth in their Sunday suits
sheltered from sun, released from toll
and soothed by the pleasant voice of
well-beloved pastor into a slightly un
steady but richly earned repose, l bles
them unaware. Not the least of th
many benefits wrought us by the clerg
is the sweet somnolence which SO gentl
and benignly broods over weary an
happy congregation on sultry Sunda
afternoon. REORGANIZATION and fire,
will may be hard to reconcile; NOR;
and natural responsibility may be diff
cult Of discrimination the bearing
election on duty is not easy to see; b.
no man can 60 into an airy, pleasal
church, sit down in peace among
friends and neighbors, and fall soft
asleep to the sound of holy words fro
holy lips, without great gain to the Ii
that now is, and l believe and trus
with no loss to that which is to come.
As for Napoleon and the others WI
are brandished over us as having wrong
their great deeds on four hours slice
in the first place l do not believed wo
of it. and in the second nlaca ;f III