Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-07-23
MIDDLE AGED OLD BOYS
Seeking Health by Violent and
Dangerous Exercise.
Commercial Gazette, %.

OOmmerclal 0hheLIes ~
Perhaps the most painful expert
enoes, next to those of the rheumatic
govt, that middle aged gentlemen in
clined to corpulency and of sedentary
habits manage to survive, are gained
in horseback riding.
But your middle aged gentleman in~
clined to corpulency and of sedentary
habits will have it so. Of course, he
feels as young as ever, and can beat
all the young fellows riding, and throw
them down, too, if they will only 20
out on the grass where he cannot hurt
them.
Our solemn old friends who feel SO
young, and are lively on exhibition,
must have their summer vacation.
They want fresh air, and strange meat
and drink and horseback exercise.
And through their vanity they en-
dure tortures inconoeivable. Last
summer John Mccullough, forgetting
that he was more than forty years OF
age, and had been for twenty years
doing a giants work, feeling little
of" concluded he would ride q few
thousand miles with Phil Sberi
dan.
He also concluded that he would
not taste anything stronger than tea
and coffee during the ride, and that he
would not smoke cigar; and he lived
through the ride, but has not been
very well since.
We suppose that his total absti.
nence from liquor aud tobacco did not
do him any harm, but sixty days in
the saddle were too many. and the
work was too hard. He would have
been happier and healthier in any no
tel in the country.
Charles Dickens would probably
have been alive now, if he had moi
been frantic about walking. HI
thought he was restoring his bodily
strength by feats of agility that sur
prised the boys. He was subjectinS
himself to a double strain that proved
fatal.
Chief Justice Waite, mounted OF
a vicious pony on the frontier, has
been thrown and hurt. H,
no doubt thought a wild ride OF
a rough beast would be great restor
alive. The chances are he would havl
derived no benefit from the pony rid.
ing, if he had not been thrown from ,
wicked animal, and now he will b,
fortunate if he ends his vacation a
we'll as be began it.
Judge Edmunds is out on the plains
probably mounting Indian ponies anC
galloping through thickets aud up anC
down mysterious and picturesqu,
mountain, He is pretty tough, anC
will possibly come out in fair condi
ton. But his case will only show hi
ability to endure hardship.
President Arthur has been persua
ded TO 90 with Sheridan, and tn
Lieutenant General should be instruc
ted that he must see that his distin
> guished guest has quiet horse to rid,
and does not 90 too far. Arthur is
strong mana true stalwart-but b
= is more than fifty years of age, ant
} weighs 222 pound, and 40 miles da
, on hoseback, with q mosquito bs
around his head, and a bed on tn
{ ground with hair rope around it I
. tickle away the rattlesnakes, will nc
improve his physical condition or in
4 crease his executive ability.
!. The moral is, that when a man
! worn with cares, and weighted wit
responsibilities, when his work tell
, on him, and his nerves are strung 8
fine that he doesn't sleep we'll, h
should beware Of extravagant RENE
dies. even in exercise. Simple foo
and good air will help him, and walk
a ing without great fatigue is good, bu
! the bathtub is the safest place for
! swimmer, and the cushions of cal
riage preferable to a hard saddle, f
riding; and for thousand miles th
; Pullman PALACE Car is the yehiCl
I that rests the Waarp