Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-07-11

In Minnesota. sudden changes of tenn
perature in Colorado, and chill wintry
rains on the tropical islands. once
knew champion of health-resort to
be so beset and cornered by illustrations
of the unhealthfulness of his climate
that he was obliged to retreat behind
the apologetic remark: "Well, after
you once get acclimaled, this is no
worse than some other places"
A life of hunting and fishing is often
prescribed for the patient who is too
feeble to lift a rifle; but the milder pur-
suits of the botanist or mineralogist are
healthier and safer. In the excitement
of the chase he is liable TO find his
strength suddenly fail him in the depths
of the forest, or the sun may PROSTATE
him or the storm overtake him when he
least expects il; and IL he be Jealous
fisherman he is sure sooner or later to
take an unprecedented bath, from
which chill and congestion may ensue.
Besides, it is hardly consistent for the
man who makes so much ado about his
own precious life To amuse himself by
taking the lives of other animals, which
are perhaps of equal importance in the
grand scheme of nature.
The act of roughing it is not the Ar
cadian picnic that the fancy paints it.
The process does not belle its name.
Roughing il means to get lost from your
party in an unknown country; il means
hardship, privation and exposure such as
only the strongest can bear, illness with
out care and death without ceremony,
summer heat by day and winters cold
by night with adequate protection from
neither, bed so thin that the invalid s
probberant bones feel every stone be-
meath, a diet of potatoes soaked in
grease, bread half done, and coffee tast-
| ing of the tin, served by cook who
erst was stable-boy, and the company
of coarse men, whose gross words are
particularly offensive to one whose soul
has been purified by pain. The invalid
can easily rough it Mt home by joining
partnership with the first tramp who
| comes along.
As long as comfort is not sacrificed
in the exchange, no one doubts that the
pine-clad mountains are better than the
malarial swamps, the country with its
clover-blossoms better than the city
with its scwer-gas and decaying pave
ments, the open air better than the
close Office. and bracing atmosphere
better than one which dcbilitatcs; but
beyond this q change of climate is OF
doubtful efficacy TO the consumptive.
| As every section of our country has its
mountains, fields and pure air, any jour
ney to distant lands is really unneccs-
sary. II the invalid has plenty of money,
prefers motion to rest and excitement
10 calm, has no fears of sud- N prostra-
ton or death by the way, is bound by
no home attachments, and finds one
clearinghouse as good as another, there
is no sufficient reason why he should not
amuse himself during the short time
that amusement Is possible to him. by
after another and congratulating him.
self on some imaginary improvement
in his condition. II is one of the re.
compenses of his misfortune that his
heart grows strong as his lungs get
weak, and, like the ostrich, he blinds
his sight with the sands OF confidence,
even while the pitilcss pursuer is hard
upon him. This eficctually disprovcs
the popular theory that plucky deter
mination to live will battle any disease.
But il sympathy is a necessity to the
patients nature, let him stay al home.
| No amount of ozone i'm the atmosphere
will atone for the unfamiliar faces of n
strange land. A hygienic hotel is like u
battle-fcld; tho sympathcS of the at
tendants are scattered too widely oyei
the multitude to be felt by any one ind-
vidual, unless by a lavish system of fees
he can secure the consultations of paid
mouIner. Should he be poor in this
worlds goods and rich Independent re-
lations, Il IL doubtful u he has ~ moral
right to take the bread from the future
widow and orphans in order to incur the
heavy expenditure of the health-resort,
where, at the best, he may continue the
semblance of living for brief period
longer, This may seem cruel doctrine
to the devoted wife. children, or parents.
who would willingly be east penniless
upon the world for the sake of securing
a respite. however short, for their loved
one: but It IL recommended for the I'M
selfish consideration Of the imp cunious
invalid himself, for whom this article is
written. Fresh air, wholesome food,
and healthy habits of life are better
remedies for consumption than any at
mosphere of the antipodeS, and few are
SO poor ms not 70 have these at COM
mand Then, II die they must, let
them depart free from the regretful
thought that a journey to the south OF
| France would have saved them.