The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-10-13
WHERE THE SEAL BARKS.

One Hundred Thousand Caught Annually
on Two OF Our Alaskan Islands.
From the Chicago times:
w. Beach Taylor, a representative of the
republic in Alaska in the capacity of spec.
ial agent of the United States treasury de-
partment, arrived in the city yesterday.
direct from that boreal region. Tie
gentleman has been serving the govern
mtnt, in company with three other repre-
sentatives, with headquarters at what is
known as the "Seal Islands, but which are
designated on the maps as St. George aud
st. Paul Islands, in the Behring sea.
These sea- girted isles, although lying near
" two hundred miles west of the main
land of Alaska proper, are included in the
purchase made Of the Russian government
nearly twenty years ago.. These islands,
as described by Mr.. Taylor, are apparently
Of volcanic origin, rising pre-
cipitously out of the ocean, but
in fact, series of vibrations. Mental en-
ergy doubtless takes the same form Of de-
velopment. If disturbing element is
introduced by the obtrusicn of some in
dependent source Of anxiety, or if out Of
the business in hand. the mind makes a
discord. confusion ensues, and for the time
being, harmonious action ceases. Work.
tho will, the mental organism sustains in
jury which must be great, and may be last
ing. The function of the warning sense
is suspended; the reserve is no longer a
stock in allegiance, and it ceases to give
stability to the mind; the rymthm of the
mental forces is interrupted; crash is
always impending. and too often sudden
collapse occurs. The point to be made
clear is this; overwork is barely possible,
and seldom, IT ever, happens. while tho
mind is acting in the way prescribed by
its constitution ana in the normal modes
Of mental exercise. The moment. how
ever, the natural rhythm of work is broken
and discord ensues, the mind is like an en-
CINE with the safety valve locked, the
steam gauge falsified, tho governing appar-
atus out of gear; a break down may occur
at any instant. The state pictured is one
OF worry, and the besetting peril is not de-
picted in two lurid colors. The victim of
worry is ever on tho verge of catastrophe;
1.-The escape. the marvel is not ut his strength
Of intellect SO much as his good fortune:
Worry is disorder, however induced, and
disorderly work is abhored by the laws of
nature, which leave it wholly without reme-
dy. The energy employed in industry car
ried on under this condition is lavished in
producing small result, and speedily ex-
hausted. The reserve comes into play very
early in the task, aud the faculty Of recup-
Grafton is speedily arrested. Sometimes
loss of appetite announces tho ces-
satlon Of nutrition; otherwise
the sense of hunger, present in the sys-
tenn, is for time preternatarally acute, and
| marks the fact that the demand is OCCASION
cd by loss of power to appropriate, instead
Of any dishinution of supply. The effort
to work becomes daily more laborious, the
task of fixing the attention grows increasing
~ difficult, thoughts wander, memory fails,
the reasoning power is enfeebled; prejudice
the shade of defunct emotion or some past
persuasion-takes the place of judgment;
physical nerve or brain disturbance may
supervene, and the crash will then come
! suddenly, unexpected by onlookers, per-
haps unperceived by the sufferer himself.
This is the history of worry" or disorder
produced by mental disquietude and dis
traction, occasionally by physical disease.