Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-09-09

To q Busy Mother.

The human brain needs rest and change,
| The human mind needs relaxation. The
human heart Deeds pleasant companion
ship. Deprive them of these requisites.
and the result, in nine cases out OF ten,
will be insanity. Perhaps you imagine
that mean to brighten you. Why, to tell
you the truth, if I could not arouse you to
sense of your condition unless | terri
fed YOU little. would rather do so than
see you an inmate of an insane asylum
You see this to be quite in accordance
with the rest of natures laws. The body
cannot subsist on one kind OF diet. it must
have more or less variety; and behold
how plentifully our creator has provided
| for this great need in the abundant fruit
fulness OF earth. air, and sea! How soon
the palate tires of one article of diet! how
soon the body sfaryes when fed upon one
thing, Dear friend. | beseech you give
this subject your most careful considera-
ton, for I perceive you are killing your
self with the constant strain brought to
bear upon body and mind. and unless you
consent to relax that strain you will suffer
very seriously in consequence.
Your "nerveus headaches" are sent
perhaps as warnings, which. if needed,
may prove your salvation from more Sc
rious trouble. have found it exceeding
lv injurious to work during the evening.
You have been busy all day with one duty
or another; the night has come. you can
find no warrant in scripture for continuing
your Iabors. but you can for resting from
them. So let the work basket remain un-
disturbed, let the needle rest. You will
be all the more skilltul with it on the NOR
row. Spend the evening in reading, con-
versation. playing interesting games with
your children. or in visiting your friends !;
or. better still. if you feel able, in attend
ing an interesting lecture or concert; then
when you retire, you will sleep sweetly
and awake refreshed and equal to the per-
formance of the davis duties.
Never eat heartily when "tired to
death" Drink cup of tea and eat a
cracker or two, or beat up an egg in half
a pint of milk, sweeten and flavor to taste
and drink it. This will strengthen you
and will not make any demands upon
your wary stomach or digestive or
gans. And another thing: Do not rise
early in the morning and trot all over the
house doing this and seeing to that for
hours before you eat anything. Put on
the coffee, if you use that beverage. or the
tea, if you use that, as soon as possible,
and pour yourself out cup just as soon
as it is in condition for drinking, and add
whatever light. easy digested article of
food you may like best. This done-and
you must eat slowly and at your ease-you
will find that you can return to your work
and fairly make things fly"
You will catch yourself singing, per-
haps. and when your husband and chill
dren come down fresh from their pleasant
slumber. they will meet a smiling tace and
sit down to breakfast, presided over by
cheerful hostess. Force yourself to try
this plan once or twice and | know you
will be pleased with it. have the great
est faith in it. because | proved 1t in my
own case, and this Ia true of all the sug-
gestions I have given in this letter.
Illustrated Christian Weekly.