The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-06-25


rules are as simple as those of any me-
chanic art. No expensive tools, as will
be seen above, are required. The methods
are portable, rs n man travelling, for in
stance, can work as well in hotel room
as at home. can find a floor and a pair of
chairs. and in doors he scarcely needs
more, while out of-doOrS there is always
the road. Many moderate efforts at plain
and simple work. instead of the often
dangerous and generally useless pranks
of fancy gymnastics. or the risk of over
are all that are required. Butt few min
utes daily at any muscles is all one will
want or at first should take. But he
must be frank with himself, and resoute-
ly attack the weaker muscles, letting the
others rest till they catch up.
But suppose he is already too stout and
tleshy, what then? a little will power
and perseverance are all he needs, and
fortunately in our land these abound. On
the 18th of January. 1871 gentleman
who has for years filled efficiently a prom
inent position in one Of the United States
offices in New York city, middle-aged
man. found that his weight, 305 pounds,
was becoming burden to him. In six
months he reduced that weight, as he
stated to the writer, over ninety pounds,
and every one who knows him, especially
his tailor, remarks the change. while
mentally-indeed, in every respect-he
says he is much better for it. By walking
from four to six miles each evening (for
he could not spare the daytime), and at
a brisk pace. Some nights it stormed.
or he did not feel at all like going. At
such times he simply added two miles to
his ordinary stint, which shows the stuff
in him. Did he change his diet? Very
slightly. but the work-he will tell you,
did the business. But suppose one is old
what then? We have seen man of Seden-
tary habits. and long out Of the way of
exercising. begin on the parallel bars at
nearly sixty, and in two months though
200 pound man, make most creditabe
progress. At eighty a gentleman in New
York city commenced trying to walk up
the stairs of the Erening Pest building,
and there are eleven flights of them, of
which there are nine from the street to his
office. Any of the elevator men will tell
you that. when the elevator is at all full,
off he will go cheerily up all the nine
flights. seemingly none the worse for it.
Within year he also told the writer that
he still continued dumb-bell and club
work before breakfast daily, and simply
because it pays: and he is certainly still
Il why, active man, even though it is six
ty-two years since he wrote " Thanatop-
sis" Palmerston, fox hunting when past
eighty; Vanderbilt, no youngster, with
ont groom or companion, urging his
blooded trotters over Harlem Lane at
slashng pace: Gladstone at sixty-eight,
Telling Hawarden trees by the hour. and
for the benefit the exercise brings-are
but a few instances of what old men
can do when they try. None of these
are more surprising than, in an intellect
ual field. the learning of German by
Caleb Cusiin" after he had passed seven-
ty, or Theirs 5 activity at nearly eighty,
or. in all ways, than Mosess doing the
forty years best work in his life after he
had passed eighty, and yet with eye not
dim nor natural force abatcd. Il. so me
men. by oiling their joints daiy-for. as
Maclaren says, they are oling every time
they are put in motion. and when they
are put in motion ouly'-can keep those
Joints from grating and creaking and
moving Stil1iy. even into 4 ripe old age.
why may not others rs weli' And which
Of these things which man can, if he
will, do so readily, can not woman do as
well? 1t needs no money, very little time.
little or no present strength. One thing
only it does need. and that is perScver-
ance. One third of the time often given
to the piano will more than suffice. One
less study day of those which are to-
day overtaXing SO many schoolgirls. and
instead judiciouS. vigorous, outdoor eX-
ercisc aimed directly at the weak muscles
and taken as regularly as ones breakfast.
and is there any doubt which will pay the
better. and make the girl the happier,
the filter for all her duties. and the more
attractive as well? We trust that the day
is not far off when no boy OF girl will be
sent to a school where care is not taken
to develop vigorous healthy bodies, and
when that vigor and health will be the
rule aud not the exception among men
and women alike, and in every walk in
life.