Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-03
The Dyspeptic's Struggle.

Dyspeptics, with morbid appetite, if
intelligent, co nscientious and determined
not to abuse themselves, are constantly en-
gagged in hard struggle, ina hand to baud
flight. The dyspeptic sits at the table at
each meal with a determined will, and
gives his whole mind to it. He says:
Nov, will eat one dish of soup, a small
piece of beef, one spoonful of the potato,
one of squash. small piece of pie, and
Just a spoonful of ice cream" But his ap-
petite is ravenous: the conversation pleas
ant; he forgets ii5tle, MS good resolution
lets up; he takes just one more mouthful
of pie, which turns out of course to be
another piece, just the least bit of pudding,
which they all declare to be delicious, then
another spoonful of ice cream; well, in
short, he repeats for the thousandth time
an excess, suffers, and so goes on for
N onths and years. This struggle of the
dyspeptic always seems to me most pitt
full. Eating was designed by the good
Creator to afford a real, unmixed pleasure.
It is sad to see it changed into bitter
fight between appetite and conscience.
Besides, this earnest effort of the Will
breaks in upon the pleasant flow and har-
Inony of nature, and disturbs digestion.
The whole trouble grows out Of a lack Of
common sense in the management of our
meals. What sense, should like to ask,
is there in this: Suppose a drunkard finds
himself TOO weak to resist temptation, and
he PERSISTS in keeping right before him the
most delicious Gqurs, in placing right
under his nose, several times a day, Just
that brandy which he never found himself
strong enough to resit. What an idiot!
we all exciaim. Not only Miss Ophelia,
bat every one with five grains of common
sense would cry out: why don't the fool
keep away from it," For one man who
Is spoiled with drink, hundred are spoil
ed with pie, cake and other similar trash.
join this common sense party, and ask
why they don't keep away? Take for ex-
ample the ordinary American family, con-
sisting say, of half dozen persons. Nine
tenths of the dyspeptics of this country
live in such families. Of these persons
constituting a large part of the population
not one in ten has perfect stomach. Now
I ask can't these people shun this sweet
meat and pastry temptation? Nothing is
simpler and easier; and [ will add that few
| duties are more sacred and imperative,
The time will soon come when intelligent
mothers Will no more think OF providing
such suff for their children than they would
prepare whisky sings for them. Just
now we feel about these things as people
used to feel about whisky. Nothing morti-
| fed good deacon more than to be caught
with no whisky in the house. What, no
whisky? If. when the minister called,
our good deacon could not set out..a decan-
ter before him he was poor indeed! And
now, when entertaining friends at your
table if you can't close the dinner with
pudding and pie, or if you can't present
them at the supper tablh with preserves,
cake, strong tea and half dozen Other
indigestible things, you feel it is real
mean" "Whatl nothing but roast beef,
potatoes and bread for dinner, and moth
ing but plain sandwich for supper."-Dio
LeWis.