The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-10-23
FUN IN THE FIELD.
Something. for Every Person OF
Sedentary Occupation to Rread
and Digest.
What they Should Do. and How
Thew Should Do It.
BY BLUE STOCKING.

men includes lawyers, physicians,
clergymeD, merchants, clerks and
mechanics. Oloqe application to
business is q necessity TO than. That
necessity Toes not arise in the want
of bread and butter only, il is found
in the ambitions. the circumstances
and the duties of their profession,
business or trade. The close appli-
cation aud sedebtsry hsbits forced
upon these Aeu are productive vi q
great evil. Among them dyspepsia
and mental depression IS au alarm
IL degree. In some classes the pas
sion for strong drink is developed in
the pressing want OF some stimuiant.
These men are prime TODD Tor fevers,
victims for pneumonia, and there can
be 10 doubt that they furnish their
quota of inmates of insane asylums.
Ten5years OF close application to any
profession, business or trade, is quite
rure to produce a general breaking
| down of the system, giving way oil
force and decay of energy and en-
| thuaiasm.
Now, this is not written from a ply
sician's point of observation, but
from toe observation snd experience
of one who is brought into daily con
tact with men of all pursuits and
Glasses.
Sometimes these hard-Worked Elen
are forced by necessity to take a holi-
day. How do they set about it? The
professional man, for example, feel
ing that he must have come recrea-
ton, concludes to take il by visiting
cities ia which De has not previously
been. He buys ticket emitting
him 10, perha two thousand miles OF
railway travel, during which be
enjoys ~ the luxury OF hotel cars "
the best kept restaurants in the world.
He visits cities in which he finds re-
creation in studying the methods OF
other men engaged ia his profession.
The result ls he returns to his work
after two weeks OF recreation, during
which be has done more iuiudicious
work, been subjected to more annoy
ances, and exposed to more unhealthy
changes OF Diet and sleeping arrange
ments than,he would have experienced
in whole year of regular work-day
life. he calls this recreation. Or,
another noan needing rect, concludes
to Try the seashore or some inland
watering place. The recreation he
finds consists in remarkable feats OF
dressing, late hours, heavy dinners,
dawdllng through sweltering days on
orIIn taking the only true exer
else to be had in such q place, fighting
mosquitoes and other bugs the whole
night through in an eight by ten
sweat-box. Admirable recreation
thisl These are but samples of the
many modes of so-calIed recreation
which hard worked Americans are
trying to enjoy. And still, we see
everywhere the oare-marked face.
We meet everywhere the dyspeptic
life and temper,
Round shoulders, fabby muscles
ard broken constitutions are becom.
ing American characteristics. We
say that Americans are working too
hard, breaking themselves down; and
becoming prematurely old. Bat we
are wrong. Hard work never kills
any man. Man was made to work,
and be has the qualifications for
being hard worker. It is injudicious
work, ceaseless work, that DESTROYS
the health and wrecks the life of 90
many. Most of all, as q class, Amer.
leans do not understand the theory
and practice of true recreation.
Whirllng over two thousand miles in t
a railway car, in which he both eats
and sleeps, will never profit any man,
Sweltering at the seashore, or pad.
ding about an inland lake, or drink
ing before breakfast quart of water
from some mineral spring is not re
creation even in the narrowest sense
of that much abused word.
But again. Many of these hard
working men resort to home exercise.
One has pair of mighty dumb-bells
under his desk. Another has every
corner in lis library ornamental with
an Indian club. Another has a row.
ing machine in his attic, and another
has a wonderfully profitable Ito the
inventory health-lift which be uses.
The writer moved once into house
in which he found an odd looking
machine. On inquiry he found that
It was a health-lift that had been pre.
,ented to and diligently used by one
Of his predecessors in the pasterate oil
the church to which he breaches.
That machine kiudled in him a great
1esire to see that predecessor who, he
thought. must be giant. he soon
Jaw him. He was giant compared
With Tom Thumb. Six years OF de-
voted application to that machineli
had not developed muscle, truly, or
brought an hour of health. The most I
appliances used in the room
,r ettice where a man works or {
Ileeps, or in the. musty air of neg {
ected attic. are almost absolutely {
'alueless.
II We say, therefore, that We can. /
,ot find true recreation in health.
lifts, etc.. and in the average summer {
'esort, whither are We to turns Ont
II his own experience the writer G
Teuld modestly offsr a prescription. |
4