The Arizona champion., 1884-05-17
LIVING IN THE DARK.

One cause of the extreme nervous. ness of American woiheh Is living too much in the darkness when indoors. The rooms arc kept dark to save the carpets, and keep out the flies, and as d consequence both the house and the occupants lack the benefit of the fresh air and sunshine. Houses from which the sun is excluded are not wholesome. There is alwaysa damp, depressing con dition in them that makes itself evident at once to a sensitive temperament. The minds and bodies of all who live in such houses are affected by it. Both health and spirits are depressed. Their occupants have not only the depressing effect of the lack of light and seem to contend against it, but the reaction consequent upon living in unwholesome conditions. All the rooms in the house should have both light and sunshine freely admitted at all times, whether in daily use or not. They are thus kept sweet, and are in good condition when they are wanted.
 Felson Sizer once said when making q | DhTtuciuSiCdl tAuililildtiou. Dc dS much as possible in the sunshine. \ People who live in dark rooms and wear black are pale all through" You can not have too much of light and sun shine, either in your lives or in your houses, for good health, You may live; but it is not all of life to live. Merely to exist is but a small part of our work in this world. We should SO live thas body and mind are at all times in their best condition. We are then ready and able to do whatever duty Jnay be required of us in such Il way that the doing merely shall be pleasurable, and the reaction on our selves and others be beneficial. It should be, in fact, the religious duty of every one so to live.
 Many a woman and child has been sacrificed to save the carpets and keep out the flies. Many fit of illness has resulted from the same cause. Many q disappointed, cheerless life can be traced back to sunless rooms as. be- ginning. Multitudes of women and children are only half-living to-day be- cause only half-fed. Sunshine and light and air are as much food for body and soul as the fruits and grains and veg etables that We take into our stomachs 1; and we cannot get surfeit of them as of food. The more we have the better,
 It may be considered but triflng matter to close the blinds on hot sum mer's day to shut out the sun but tri- tles are by no means to be despised Once doing might do no appreciablc harm; but it is so easy to do thing a second and third time, that any act which would be harmful by repetition would better not be done at all. You may keep out the flies by darkening the room, but the darkness which seems so cool will breed other vermin; and l, besides, the ''pestilence that walketh in darkness" and, indeed, ever remains where the darkness is.
 Open your windows wide, then, my sisters, and let the sun, that always carries health in his rays, have free ac- cess to every part of your homes. Screens will keep out the flies, and if you have occasion to temper the heat of the sun, use white curtain that can be rolled up or down at will.
 As for preserving carpets and fur niture from the effects of too much sunshine and light, I have nothing to say; they bear no comparison in value, be they as expensive as money can buy or human ingenuity invent, to the we'll being and happiness of one human be- ing. They are luxuries, and as such would better be dispensed with entirely than that one human being to be de- prived of health or heathiul conditions on their account. If the body be more than meat, and the life more than raj ment, We cannot set too high value on the temple of our soul, or whatever contributes to its welfare.