The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-07-11

before coating 1t with the brine. The
abundant use of salt, lime, gypsum or
charcoal. and the absence Of fresh ami
NAL manures, will be found of use as
preventives. Select hardy varieties of
grain, as these partially resist, and sow
on elevated lands, where there is a free
circulation of air.-N. Y. Herald.
The Late Mr.. Bryant's Mode OF Life.
The following letter. written by Mr..
Bryant several years ago, describing
the habits of his life, to which he partly
ascribed the wonderful preservation of
his physical and mental vigor, will be
read with interest now:
NEW YORK, March 80. 1871.
TO Joseph q. Richards, ESQ.,:
"MY DEAR SIR promised some
time since to give you some account of
my habits of life, SO far at least as re-
CARDS diet, exercise and occupations.
I am not sure that it will be of any use
to you, although the system which 1
have for many years observed seems to
answer my purpose very well. / have
reached pretty advanced period of
life, without the usual infirmities of old
age, and with my strength, activity and
bodily faculties generally in pretty
good preservation. How far this may
be the effect of my way of life adopted
long ago and steadily adhered to, is
perhaps uncertain.
81 rise early. at this time of the year
about half-past five; in summer, half
an hour or even an hour earlier. I'm
mediatcly, with very little incumbrance
of clothing, l begin a series of excr-
cises, for the most part designed to cx-
pand the chest, and at the same time
call into action all the muscles and ar
ticulations of the body. These are
performed with dumb-bells, the very
fightest, covered with flannel. with a
pole, horizontal bar, and q light chair
swung around my head. After full
hour, and sometimes more, passed in
this manner / battle from head to foot.
When at my place in the country l
sometimes shorten my exercises in the
chamber, and, going out, occupy my
self for half an hour or more in some
work which requires brisk exercise.
After my bath, if breakfast be not
ready, l sit down to my studies till l
am called.
my breakfast is simple one-hOm-
my and milk, or, in place of hominy,
brown bread or oatmeal, or wheaton
grits, and in the season baked sweet
apples. Buckwheat cakes l do not de-
cline, nor any other article of vegetable
food, but animal food never take at
breakfast. Tea and coffee I never
touch at any time. Sometimes l take a
cup of chocolate, which has no narcot-
ic effect and agrees with me very well.
At breakfast often take fruit, either
in its natural state or freshly stewed.
"After breakfast occupy myself
for while with my studies, and then,
when in town, walk down to the Office
of the Evening Post, nearly three miles
distant, and, after about three hours,
return. always walking, whatever be the
weather or the state Of the streets. In
the country. I am engaged in my lit
erary tasks till feeling of WEAKNESS
drives me out into the open air, and l
60 upon my farm or into the garden
and prune the fruit trees, or perform
some other work about them which they
iced, and then go back to my books.
I do not often drive out, preferring to
walk.
Gin the country dine early, and it
is only at that meal that I take either
meat or fish, and of these but mod
crate quantity, making my dinner
mostly of vegetables. At the meal
which is called tea, 1 take only little
bread and butter, with fruit, if it
be on the table. In town, where dine
later, make but two meals day.
Fruit makes q considerable part of my
diet, and eat it almost any hour of the
day without Inconvenience. My drink
is water, yet sometimes, though rare
ly,. take q glass of wine. am natu-
raj temperance man, finding myself
rather confused than exhilarated by
wine. I never NEEDLE with tobacco,
except to quarrel with its use.
That l may rise early, I, of course.
20 to bed early; in town, as early as
ten; in the country, somewhat earlier.
"For many years have avoided, in
the evening, every kind of literary oc-
cupation which tasks the faculties. such
as composition-even to the writing of
letters, for the reason that it excites
the nervous system and prevents sound
sleep. My brother told me, not long
since, that he had seen in . Chicago
newspaper and several other western
journals, paragraph in which it was
said that am in the habit of taking
Quinine as a stimulant, that have de-
pended upon the excitement it produces
in writing my verses, und that in conse-
quence Of using it in that way had be-
come as deaf as post. As to my deaf
ness, you know that to be false, and the
rest Of the story is equally.so. l abom-
mate all drugs and narcotics, and have
always carefully avoided everything
which spurs nature to exertions which
it would not otherwise make. Even
with my food / do not take the usual
condiments, such as pepper and the
like. am, sir, truly yours,